The Possible Relationship of Starch and Phytoglycogen in Sweet Corn. I. Characterization of Particulate and Soluble Polysaccharides

The starch and phytoglycogen fractions from normal and sugary (su) maize have been compared. Little difference was observed between two inbred lines and two su conversions of the lines studied. Less than 1% of the mature normal kernel dry weight was recovered as phytoglycogen. Normal starch had 25 to 30% amylose. Extraction of su endosperm by two methods resulted in different distributions of starch and phytoglycogen. Regardless of purification method used phytoglycogen was shown to be distributed in a soluble fraction and a particulate fraction which also contained some amylose. The observations are consistent with a pattern of conversion of starch (granules) into phytoglycogen in su endosperm.