This volume presents the physiological and biochemical aspects of storage carbohydrates, or starch granules, in plants. This up-to-date and thorough resource carefully integrates fundamental knowledge with the most recent information on the starch granule. It discusses the chemistry of the starch granule and the biochemistry, molecular biology, plant physiology, and genetics of plant starch synthesis. The books also describes the implications of these studies for theseed, biotechnology, and modified starch industries.
Key Features
* Written for a broad readership
* Emphasizes the recent findings on the properties of starch biosynthetic enzymes and on studies describing their localization
* Details the implications these studies have on the seed, biotechnology, and modified starch industries
* Includes numerous references to the original literature
* Introduces the reader to the most important individuals and discoveries in the field

The Biochemistry of Plants, Volume 14: Carbohydrates provides information pertinent to the fundamental aspects of plant biochemistry. This book deals with the function and structure of the plant cell wall by describing the physical and chemical properties of cell wall components. Organized into 11 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of hexose phosphate metabolism in nonphotosynthetic tissues. This text then examines the findings in fructan structures, conformations, and linkages, the enzymes involved in fructan synthesis and degradation, and their cellular regulation, location, and metabolic role in plants. Other chapters consider the methods employing enzymes to determine starch structure. This book discusses as well the different biosynthetic modes of plant cell walls. The final chapter deals with the various environmental factors that influence expression of the ?-amylase gene, suggesting how molecular biology may help in understanding carbohydrate biochemistry and the enzymes involved in carbohydrate synthesis and metabolism. This book is a valuable resource for plant biochemists.