Natural variation in rice starch synthase IIa affects enzyme and starch properties.

The natural variation in starch synthase IIa (SSIIa) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was characterised using near-isogenic lines (NILs). SSIIa is a candidate for the alk gene regulating the alkali disintegration of rice grains, since both genes are genetically mapped at the same position on chromosome 6 and related to starch properties.