Structure and biosynthesis of starch. The localization of starch synthesizing enzymes with the use of immunoelectron microscopy.

Starch comprises two carbohydrate polymers: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose consists of a largely lineair chain of a-1,4-linked glucose units, whereas amylopectin is highly branched. Amylopectin is built of short lineair chains which are interconnected by a-1, 6-bonds, forming branch points. The branch points are clustered along the molecule. Since the branch points are concentrated in one half of the cluster, the other half comprises the lineair parts of the chains. Zie: Summary