Fructan biosynthesis and degradation as part of plant metabolism controlling sugar fluxes during durum wheat kernel maturation.
Wheat kernels contain fructans, fructose based oligosaccharides with prebiotic properties, in levels between 2 and 35 weight % depending on the developmental stage of the kernel. To improve knowledge on the metabolic pathways leading to fructan storage and degradation, carbohydrate fluxes occurring during durum wheat kernel development were analyzed. Kernels were collected at various developmental stages and quali-quantitative analysis of carbohydrates (mono- and di-saccharides, fructans, starch) was performed, alongside analysis of the activities and gene expression of the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis and hydrolysis. High resolution HPAEC-PAD of fructan contained in durum wheat kernels revealed that fructan content is higher at the beginning of kernel development, when fructans with higher DP, such as bifurcose and 1,1-nystose, were mainly found. The changes in fructan pool observed during kernel maturation might be part of the signaling pathways influencing carbohydrate metabolism and storage in wheat kernels during development. During the first developmental stages fructan accumulation may contribute to make kernels more effective Suc sinks and to participate in osmotic regulation while the observed decrease in their content may mark the transition to later developmental stages, transition that is also orchestrated by changes in redox balance.
Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico University Rome, Italy.
Sara
S
Cimini
Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico University Rome, Italy.
Vittoria
V
Locato
Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
Rudy
R
Vergauwen
Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Bari Bari, Italy.
Annalisa
A
Paradiso
Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unità di ricerca per la Valorizzazione Qualitativa dei Cereali Rome, Italy.
Cristina
C
Cecchini
Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico University Rome, Italy ; Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
Liesbeth
L
Vandenpoel
Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
Joran
J
Verspreet
Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
Christophe M
CM
Courtin
Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unità di ricerca per la Valorizzazione Qualitativa dei Cereali Rome, Italy.
Maria Grazia
MG
D'Egidio
Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
Wim
W
Van den Ende
Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico University Rome, Italy.
Laura
L
De Gara
bio-active molecule; durum wheat; fructan exohydrolase; fructosyltransferase; kernel development