This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (18) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Liu, T.-T. Y. Articles by Shannon, J. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Liu, T.-T. Y. Articles by Shannon, J. C. Agricola Articles by Liu, T.-T. Y. Articles by Shannon, J. C.

Articles

A Nonaqueous Procedure for Isolating Starch Granules with Associated Metabolites from Maize (Zea mays L.) Endosperm ¹

Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802

A nonaqueous procedure using glycerol and 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol was developed for the isolation from maize of starch granules with associated metabolites. In this procedure, immature endosperm tissue was quickly frozen at –156 C, freeze-dried, homogenized in cold glycerol, filtered through Miracloth, and centrifuged through a higher density medium of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol. The procedure was used to isolate starch granules from the endosperm of normal and the mutant amylose-extender dull waxy. Starch and water-soluble polysaccharide recovery was high with low cytoplasmic (RNA) and nuclear (DNA) contamination.

Electron microscopic examination of the isolated starch granules failed to demonstrate the presence of the amyloplast's membrane. However, based on an examination of fresh, freeze-dried, and rehydrated freeze-dried normal endosperm, it is suggested that the amyloplast membrane and enclosed stroma metabolites were dried onto the surface of the starch granules during the freeze-drying procedure. Chemical analysis of the glycerol-propanediol isolated granules showed the presence of alcohol-soluble sugars, inorganic phosphate, and phosphate-containing compounds. These soluble metabolites may represent amyloplast stroma metabolites which became bound to the starch granules during freeze-drying. Thus, this isolation procedure should be useful when metabolites closely associated with starch granules in situ are to be evaluated.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. M. Farre, A. Tiessen, U. Roessner, P. Geigenberger, R. N. Trethewey, and L. Willmitzer Analysis of the Compartmentation of Glycolytic Intermediates, Nucleotides, Sugars, Organic Acids, Amino Acids, and Sugar Alcohols in Potato Tubers Using a Nonaqueous Fractionation Method Plant Physiology, October 1, 2001; 127(2): 685 - 700. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Shannon, F.-M. Pien, H. Cao, and K.-C. Liu Brittle-1, an Adenylate Translocator, Facilitates Transfer of Extraplastidial Synthesized ADP-Glucose into Amyloplasts of Maize Endosperms Plant Physiology, August 1, 1998; 117(4): 1235 - 1252. [Abstract] [Full Text]