title: Iminosugar inhibitors of carbohydrate-active enzymes that underpin cereal grain germination and endosperm metabolism.
abstract: Starch is a major energy store in plants. It provides most of the calories in the human diet and, as a bulk commodity, it is used across broad industry sectors. Starch synthesis and degradation are not fully understood, owing to challenging biochemistry at the liquid/solid interface and relatively limited knowledge about the nature and control of starch degradation in plants. Increased societal and commercial demand for enhanced yield and quality in starch crops requires a better understanding of starch metabolism as a whole. Here we review recent advances in understanding the roles of carbohydrate-active enzymes in starch degradation in cereal grains through complementary chemical and molecular genetics. These approaches have allowed us to start dissecting aspects of starch degradation and the interplay with cell-wall polysaccharide hydrolysis during germination. With a view to improving and diversifying the properties and uses of cereal grains, it is possible that starch degradation may be amenable to manipulation through genetic or chemical intervention at the level of cell wall metabolism, rather than simply in the starch degradation pathway per se.
authors: Departments of Biological Chemistry and Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, U.K. vasilios.andriotis@jic.ac.uk.
authors: Vasilios M E
authors: VM
authors: Andriotis
authors: Departments of Biological Chemistry and Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, U.K.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Rejzek
authors: Departments of Biological Chemistry and Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, U.K.
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Rugen
authors: Enzyme and Protein Chemistry, Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej, Bldg. 375, DK-2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark.
authors: Birte
authors: B
authors: Svensson
authors: Departments of Biological Chemistry and Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, U.K.
authors: Alison M
authors: AM
authors: Smith
authors: Departments of Biological Chemistry and Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, U.K.
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Field
mesh_terms: D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D056625:Endosperm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects*; D050111:Imino Sugars / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D050111:Imino Sugars
keywords: arabinoxylan; cell wall; cereal grain; chemical genetics; iminosugar; starch