Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
gene discovery, oat biosynthetic pathways, ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase gene
College
Life Sciences
Department
Plant and Wildlife Sciences
Abstract
Grains that are high in soluble hemicellulose fiber, such as oat, provide numerous health benefits to consumers. These benefits include decreased risk of heart disease and lowered cholesterol. For this reason, information regarding genes that are involved in regulating starch and fiber synthesis in oat is highly valuable to breeders and cereal companies. However, because of the polyploid nature (allohexaploidy) and intrinsic complexity of the oat genome, given its propensity for chromosomal rearrangement, genetic data available for use in further research is limited, with many important regions still unsequenced. One such region is the gene coding for adenosine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase (ADPG-PPase). ADPG-PPase is one of the major enzymes involved in oat hemicellulose and soluble fiber synthesis pathways. It acts as a catalyst for the first committed step in the synthesis of ADP glucose, which is then vital in the elongation of cellulose.
Recommended Citation
Braithwaite, Evan and Jellen, Eric
(2016)
"Gene Discovery: Understanding Oat Biosynthetic Pathways through Characterization of the ADP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Gene,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2016:
Iss.
1, Article 194.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2016/iss1/194