Development and Substance Accumulation of Caryopsis in Transgenic Rice with Antisense Wx Gene

The development and substance accumulation of rice caryopsis were studied by using the transgenic japonica and indica rice with antisense Wx gene. The weight of caryopses in transgenic rice was lower than that in non-transgenic one, and the reduction in weight was significantly correlated to the reduction in amylose content. In caryopsis of transgenic rice, the number of endosperm cells was less than that in caryopsis of non-transgenic one, but the proliferation speed was considerably higher during the first six days after flowering (DAF). During the first nine DAF, the soluble sugar content of transgenic rice caryopsis was less than that of the non-transgenic one, but the situation was reverse after nine DAF. Moreover, the total starch content also declined with the decrease in amylose content of transgenic rice caryopsis, while the amylopectin content increased accordingly. Therefore, the composition of starch in caryopsis also changed, but it did not affect the accumulation of protein in transgenic rice caryopsis.