Exploring the evolution of molecular architecture of starch from granule initiation to maturity

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Starch remains a subject of intense scientific interest because of the structural complexity of this self-assembling macromolecule; the importance of starch in our diet; and its impact on health indicators. My long-term goal continues to be a focus on understanding starch granule architecture and relating the architectural makeup of starch to its functional behaviour in multi-component food systems and their consequent impact on human health. My short-term goal is to determine the molecular architecture of polymers at early stages of starch granule development to likely understand granule initiation, as well as to determine the structural differences between semi-crystalline and amorphous starch structures (i.e., alternating growth rings) within the starch granules. There is a paucity of research on transient starches, specifically on the characterization of amylopectin in terms of internal structure, composition of unit chains and molecular architecture. Furthermore, to the best of my knowledge only 3 papers have been published on the effect of diurnal rhythm on granule morphology, while none have studied the internal structure of the starch granules when grown under different light conditions. Therefore, the goals in this proposal are to 1) determine the molecular architecture of polymers at early stages of starch granule development, in both transient and storage starches, to likely understand granule initiation; and 2) understand the impact of diurnal propagation of granule on the molecular structure in amorphous versus semi-crystalline areas. Results from the proposed study will make significant contributions to a deeper understanding of starch granule internal structure and architecture - topics that are of great interest in the research community.