| To understand the effects of heat stress on starch synthesis in wheat,high temperature (35℃±3℃) was induced to Ningchun 4 wheat at different growth stages after anthesis (5 d,10 d,15 d,20 d). The expression levels of four starch synthase genes,namely,ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene (AGPase),granule-bound starch synthase Ⅰ (GBSSⅠ)gene,starch branching enzyme (SBE) gene,Soluble starch synthase (SSS)gene were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Meanwhile the change of enzyme (AGPase,SBE,GBSS,SSS) activity in starch biosynthesis and the accumulation of starch were detected during the wheat grain filling stage. Correlation analysis between the gene expression level and the activity of starch synthesis enzyme has been conducted. The results showed that all the genes encoding starch biosynthesis enzymes had high expression level during grain filling stage under normal temperature. Under heat stress,however,only the GBSSⅠ remained its expression level. The AGPase,SBE,and SSS gene expression levels and the activities of the four starch synthase,on the other hand,were all inhibited by high temperature during the grain filling stages. The gene expression level of GBSSⅠdid not correlate with the activity of its starch synthases,while the relative gene expression level of SBE correlated positively with the activity of its starch synthase (P< 0.01),and the relative gene expression level of AGPase and SSS correlated positively with the activity of their starch synthase under normal temperature (P<0.05). Meanwhile,the degree of correlation between the levels SBE,AGPase,SSS expression and the activities of starch synthase enzyme decreased under high temperature. These results suggested that AGPase,SBE,GBSⅠS and SSS may control starch synthesis in wheat grain filling stage,and heat stress can inhibited the accumulation of starch by affecting starch synthase gene expression,thereby affecting the enzyme activities of starch synthase. The inhibitive effects were more significant if high temperature occurred earlier at grain filling stage. |