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. Mehr anzeigen
Persistenter Link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000123250Publikationsstatus
publishedExterne Links
Zeitschrift / Serie
eLifeBand
Seiten / Artikelnummer
Verlag
eLife Sciences PublicationsOrganisationseinheit
03707 - Zeeman, Samuel C. / Zeeman, Samuel C.
03857 - Mezzenga, Raffaele / Mezzenga, Raffaele
Förderung
163503 - Designing starch – harnessing carbohydrate polymer synthesis in plants (SNF)