Physicochemical properties of germinated brown rice (Oryza sativa L.) starch

Physicochemical properties of white rice (WR), brown rice (BR) and germinated brown rice (GBR) starches from a mixed variety of MR219 and MR220, commonly consumed Malaysian varieties, were compared in this study. The granular size of the starch particles, measured using scanning electron microscope (SEM), varied from 2 to 8 μm for all starches and appeared in polyhyedral shapes. Amylose content in WR, BR and GBR as analysed using colorimetric method was found to be 25.77, 23.83 and 21.78%, respectively. The amylose content of GBR was significantly lower than that of WR or BR. Results also show that germination affected gelatinization and pasting properties. This study has profound implications for future studies on functional properties of GBR and may help us understand what role changes in physicochemical properties, brought about by germination, play in determining functional effects.Key words: Starch characterization, amylase, gelatinization, germinated brown rice

High-Resolution RT-PCR Analysis of Alternative Barley Transcripts

Assembly of the barley genome and extensive use of RNA-seq has resulted in an abundance of gene expression data and the recognition of wide-scale production of alternatively spliced transcripts. Here, we describe in detail a high-resolution reverse transcription-PCR based panel (HR RT-PCR) that confirms the accuracy of alternatively spliced transcripts from RNA-seq and allows quantification of changes in the proportion of splice isoforms between different experimental conditions, time points, tissues, genotypes, ecotypes, and treatments. By validating a selection of barley genes, use of the panel gives confidence or otherwise to the genome-wide global changes in alternatively spliced transcripts reported by RNA-seq. This simple assay can readily be applied to perform detailed transcript isoform analysis for any gene in any species.</p