We investigated the expression patterns of a granule-bound starch synthase I (GBSSI = Waxy) gene at different developmental stages of storage and non-storage organs in Amaranthus cruentus. GBSSI transcripts were strongly expressed in the middle and mid-late stages of seed development and thereafter expression decreased. In addition, this gene was expressed in all non-storage organs tested (the leaf, stem, petiole and root) and showed a tendency to increase during plant development. Therefore, our results indicate that the amaranth GBSSI gene exhibits late expression in the perisperm, and that it is expressed in both storage and non-storage tissues. We also investigated the genetic diversity of GBSSI among 37 strains of amaranth grains originating from New World. A comparison of the GBSSI coding sequence revealed an extremely high level of sequence conservation, and a single nucleotide polymorphism between the sequences of non-waxy (Type I) and waxy (Type II) phenotypes was detected. This indicates that a G–T polymorphism in exon 10 (a nonsense mutation) was a unique event in the evolution of the GBSSI gene in amaranth grains.

To investigate the genetic variation of high-and low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (BMW-GS and LMW-GS), granule-bound starch synthase I (GBSSI) and puroindoline in 24 Korean wheat cultivars. At the BMW-GS compositions, three Glu-A1 alleles, five Glu-B1 alleles and three Glu-D1 alleles were identified. The high frequency of alleles at each locus was Glu-A1c allele (15 cultivars), Glu-B1b allele (16 cultivars) and Glu-D1f allele (16 cultivars). Four alleles were identified at the Glu-A3 and Glu-B3 loci and three at Glu-D3 locus and Glu-A3d, Glu-B3d and Glu-D3a were mainly found at each Glu-3 locus. Glu-A3d, Glu-B3d, Glu-D3b or c (4 cultivars, respectively) and Glu-A3d, Glu-B3d, Glu-D3a and Glu-A3c, Glu-B3d or h, Glu-D3a (3 cultivar, respectively) were predominantly found in Korean wheats. At the GBSS compositions, 2 waxy wheat cultivars, Shinmichal and Shinmichal1, showed null alleles on the Wx loci and other cultivars were wild type in GBSS compositions. At the puroindoline gene compositions, Korean wheat cultivars carried 3 genotypes, which 10 cultivars (41.7%) were Pina-D1a and Pinb-D1a, 11 cultivars (45.8%) had Pina-D1a and Pinb-D1b and 3 cultivars (12.5%) carried Pina-D1b and Pinb-D1a. These genetic variations could present the information to improve flour and end-use quality in Korean wheat breeding programs.

Granule bound starch synthase (GBSS), also known as the '"waxy protein'", is responsible for the synthesis of amylose in the amyloplasts of cereal crops. In hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), GBSS is involved in amylose synthesis and rolls as an important factor to determine flour quality and end-use quality in food products. Genes on three Wx loci have been found to encode GBSS in common wheats. We developed techniques for the purification and separation of GBSS in wheat. Three major GBSS isoforms, which were encoded by the genes on three loci, Wx-A1, Wx-B1, and Wx-D1 migrating differently by one dimensional SDS-po-lyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1D SDS-PAGE), were identified. GBSS from 66 Korean hard and soft winter wheats were purified and determined for their Wx loci and four of them were identified possessing a null allele either at the Wx-A1 and Wx-B1 loci. With help of identification of three GBSS isoforms using 1D SDS-PAGE system, we are able to identify and monitor Wx gene expressions in breeding materials for developing waxy or partial waxy wheats without experiencing consecutive selecting generations.cting generations.