Award details

Investigation of the mechanism of synthesis of starch polymers

Reference	CT05292
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Alison Smith
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Cathie Martin
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	Metabolic Biology
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	172,946
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/07/1995
End date	01/07/1998
Duration	36 months

Abstract

The aim of this project is provide information required for the creation of high-value speciality starches in crop plants. An ability to generate novel and useful variation in starch structure in crops would reduce the expense and hazard involved in post-extraction chemical modification of starches, open up new uses for starch, and give added value to starch crops. However, although genetic manipulation of starch crops is possible our lack of understanding of the mechanisms that determine starch structure make it impossible to predict which manipulations will result in useful modifications of starch. Our project will overcome this problem through the use of a simple system - the bacterium Escherichia coli - in which the enzymes of starch synthesis can be expressed and studies in detail, in isolation from the complexity of the plant. We propose to study the structure-function relationships of a range of isoforms of starch synthase and starch-branching enzyme believed to play different roles in the synthesis of starch polymers in plants, to analyse the structure of the glucans made in strains of E. coli expressing various combinations of native and modified plant and bacterial enzymes, and to investigate the idea that proteins other than these enzymes - for example starch-priming enzymes - are essential for the normal synthesis of starch polymers and their assembly into granules. E. coli is ideal for this purpose because expression of native and modified plant enzymes is rapid and routine, and proteins and glucans can readily be purified. E. coli synthesises a starch-like polymer - glycogen - via enzymes very similar to those of starch synthesis, and mutations in the pathway of glycogen synthesis can be complemented by plant enzymes. This project is directly relevant and important to the BBSRC's interest in developing crops for non-food uses.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Clean Technology (EPSRC) (CT) [1993-1995]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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