Overexpression of STARCH BRANCHING ENZYME II increases short-chain branching of amylopectin and alters the physicochemical properties of starch from potato tuber

Abstract

This work reports the first time that overexpression of SBEII has been achieved in a non-cereal plant. The data show that overexpression of SBEII using a simple single-intron hybrid intragene is an effective way to modify potato starch physicochemical properties, and indicate that an increased ratio of short to long amylopectin branches produces commercially beneficial changes in starch properties such as reduced gelatinisation temperature, reduced viscosity and increased swelling volume.