Tissue distribution and change in potato starch phosphorylase mRNA levels in wounded tissue and sprouting tubers

Starch phosphorylase has been cloned from a lambda gt10 cDNA library of potato tuber mRNA. Selected recombinants have been used to demonstrate that phosphorylase mRNA is most abundant in tubers but is also detectable in stolon, root, stem and leaf tissue. The level of phosphorylase mRNA was greatly reduced in wounded stem and tuber tissue. The wounding-induced decrease in phosphorylase mRNA levels is not reversed in the presence of sucrose or mannitol. Regional differences are described in the levels of phosphorylase and patatin mRNA in different parts of the tuber and in the shoot of sprouting potatoes.