Amylopectin Potatoes by Precision Breeding

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME) in Germany have developed "super" potatoes that produce pure amylopectin through TILLING (Targeted Induced Local Lesions in Genomes). TILLING is an alternative to the traditional Agrobacterium-mediated transformation technique and uses mutagenesis coupled with gene-specific detection of single-nucleotide changes. Conventional starch is composed of the carbohydrate polymers amylose and amylopectin. Compared to amylose, amylopectin is more water soluble and with higher bonding capacity. Pure amylopectin starch is of high value in several technical applications such as paper, adhesive and textile manufacturing. But separating amylose from amylopectin is an energy and cost-intensive process.

According to the Fraunhofer researchers, 100 tons of these "super" potatoes were harvested earlier this fall. "They can be processed as usual in the production lines," noted Jost Muth, researcher at the IME . "Special measures aren't necessary, because the TILLING potatoes are totally normal breeds that contain no genetically modified material."

"Gene technology-based processes are indispensible and it is prudent to use them, when we want to integrate genetic material into a plant genome, for example if we develop transgenic tobacco plants producing pharmacological substances," said IME scientist Dirk Prüfer. "When it comes to dealing with genes, there is an easy rule: as much modification as needed, but as little as possible."

For more information, read the press release at http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2009/12/super-potato.jsp