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Galactosyltransferases and galactomannan biosynthesis

Reference	D15647
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor G Reid
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Stirling
Department	Biological and Environmental Sciences
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	101,680
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/12/2001
End date	01/06/2003
Duration	18 months

Abstract

Many seeds have thick-walled endosperms which are very rich in galactomannans (alpha-galactosyl-substituted (1 to 4-beta-mannans). Galactomannan gums from legume seeds (high-galactose; soluble) are important in food manufacture e.g. ice-cream, dairy products). Galactomannans in other seeds (low-galactose, often insoluble) influence the economics of processing (e.g. coffee extractability) or limit the feed-value of processing waste (e.g. oil-palm). Galactomannan galactosyltransferases [GMGTs] are the key enzymes controlling galactose substitution during galactomannan biosynthesis, and we have achieved their full molecular characterisation. By up- and down-regulating GMTs in seed endosperms we shall obtain plants with structurally tailored galactomannans in their endosperm cell walls, pioneering the biosynthetic modification of cell wall polysaccharides.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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