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Approaches for Modification of Starch Composition in Durum Wheat

¹Dipartimento di Agrobiologia ed Agrochimica, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy. ²Corresponding author. Phone: +39 0761 357243. E-mail: lafiandr@unitus.it ³Società Produttori Sementi, Argelato, Bologna, Italy. ⁴Società Barilla Alimentare, Parma, Italy.

Manipulation of starch composition in cereals and particularly in wheat is receiving increasing attention due to recognition of its important role in food and nonfood applications. The amylose/ amylopectin ratio influences the physicochemical properties of starches and nutritional value of derived end products. Identification of the key enzymes involved in the starch biosynthetic pathway has opened new avenues for altering the amylose and amylopectin content in durum and bread wheat. The granule bound starch synthases (GBSSI), or waxy proteins, are the enzymes responsible for amylose synthesis in storage tissues; amylopectin is produced by the concerted action of different enzymes, including starch synthases (SS), branching (SBE), and debranching enzymes (DBE). By altering the level of key enzymes involved in the regulation of starch synthesis, it is possible to generate novel starches with unique functional properties. In this respect, both low and high amylose starches are particularly interesting because they are associated with industrial and processing properties as well as with human health and nutrition. So far, major attention has addressed the manipulation of starch composition in bread wheat, whereas durum wheat has been investigated to a much lesser extent. Approaches currently available to alter amylose/amylopectin ratio and tailor starch composition in durum wheat are presented.