Recreating the synthesis of starch granules in yeast.
Elife
; 52016 11 22.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27871361
ABSTRACT
Starch, as the major nutritional component of our staple crops and a feedstock for industry, is a vital plant product. It is composed of glucose polymers that form massive semi-crystalline granules. Its precise structure and composition determine its functionality and thus applications; however, there is no versatile model system allowing the relationships between the biosynthetic apparatus, glucan structure and properties to be explored. Here, we expressed the core Arabidopsis starch-biosynthesis pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae purged of its endogenous glycogen-metabolic enzymes. Systematic variation of the set of biosynthetic enzymes illustrated how each affects glucan structure and solubility. Expression of the complete set resulted in dense, insoluble granules with a starch-like semi-crystalline organization, demonstrating that this system indeed simulates starch biosynthesis. Thus, the yeast system has the potential to accelerate starch research and help create a holistic understanding of starch granule biosynthesis, providing a basis for the targeted biotechnological improvement of crops.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Amido
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Arabidopsis
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Vias Biossintéticas
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Engenharia Metabólica
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2016
Tipo de documento:
Article