ALK — Oryza sativa Indica Group

Summary

BGIOSGA005631 (ALK, OiALK) on chromosome 2 of Indica rice encodes a starch synthase II-2 (SSII-2) with alpha-1,4-glucan glucosyltransferase (NDP-glucose donor) activity (EC 2.4.1.21). The gene is associated with amylopectin anabolism, endosperm development, and starch anabolism, and its product localizes to the amyloplast. It is associated with grain shape, grain length, grain size, grain yield, head rice yield, and pericarp color. Associations also include starch biosynthesis, amylopectin chain-length distribution (particularly DP12 and DP28), starch granule formation, and endosperm starch synthesis. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to cooking quality, starch gelatinization temperature, amylose-to-amylopectin ratio, grain weight, plant height, panicle length, heat tolerance, and heterosis.