Development of cassava plants that increase resistant starch content

November 12, 2021

Contributing to the development of functional food ingredients

A research team at the RIKEN CSRS succeeded in developing cassava, a tropical plant, that increase resistant starch content.

Although enhancement of functionality is one of the important breeding targets of cassava, no research has been conducted to produce cassava plants with high-content of resistant starch.

In this study, the research team focused on the starch branching enzymes (SBEs) among the starchbiosynthetic nzymes expressed in cassava tuberous roots. When SBE1 and SBE2, were suppressed, the content of resistant starch was found to be about 63 times higher than that in wild-type.

Resistant starch has physiological effects as dietary fiber which improves the responses to blood sugar and insulin, and intestinal functions. The results of this research will contribute to cassava molecular breeding research for the development of functional food ingredients that improve peopleʼs quality of life and reduce their disease risks.

Original article

Plant Molecular Biology doi:10.1007/s11103-021-01209-w

Y. Utsumi, C. Utsumi, M. Tanaka, S. Takahashi, Y. Okamoto, M. Ono, Y. Nakamura, M. Seki,

"Suppressed expression of starch branching enzyme 1 and 2 increases resistant starch and amylose content and modifies amylopectin structure in cassava".

Contact

Yoshinori Utsumi; Research Scientist

Motoaki Seki; Team Leader

Plant Genomic Network Research Team