부산대학교 도서관

Rice grains can germinate under anoxia, while most other cereals fail to behave similarly. The ability of rice grains to degrade starch, thanks to the successful production of α-amylase even in the absence of oxygen is likely one of the factors allowing rice to germinate anaerobically. In this paper we review the most recent results concerning the physiology and molecular biology related to the expression of α-amylase genes under anoxia. The current view is that expression of sugar-starvation induces isoforms of α-amylase playing a major role during germination under anoxia, while gibberellin induces α-amylase predominating under aerobic conditions.