Towards targeted starch modification in plants

Genetic approaches to modify starch in crops have been limited by our knowledge of starch biosynthesis. Recent advances in Arabidopsis have revealed key genetic components determining the size, shape and number of granules in a plastid. This has opened the doors to new discoveries on granule initiation in crop species. In parallel, advances in genomic resources and gene editing technologies allow targeted manipulation of starch biosynthesis genes in isogenic crop backgrounds. Such technologies have been successfully deployed to alter starch composition, and can now be used to modify other starch traits. This will allow the complex relationships between starch structure and physicochemical properties to be elucidated, which will facilitate the rational manipulation of starches in crops.

Automated summary

Recent advances in Arabidopsis have uncovered key genetic components determining starch granule size, shape, and number in plastids, opening up new possibilities for studying starch initiation in crop species. Progress in genomic resources and gene editing technologies has enabled targeted manipulation of starch biosynthesis genes in crops, leading to alterations in starch composition and potential modifications in other starch traits. This will ultimately help in understanding the complex relationship between starch structure and physicochemical properties, allowing for rational manipulation of starches in crops.