"Off" Switch for Starch Production in Plants Discovered
November 25, 2015 |
A research team from the Weizmann Institute of Science led by Prof. Avihai Danon has discovered the "off" switch for plant starch production. Starch is the most common carbohydrate in the human diet and present in large amounts in staple crops such as rice, potatoes, and maize.
Plants start making starch as soon as the morning light turns on its photosynthesis, and stops when photosynthesis subsides at night. Working with Arabidopsis, the team figured out the chain of biochemical events leading to its shutdown at night. The decrease in light causes a small signaling protein called ACTH4 to lose electrons and become oxidized, which, in turn, quickly prompts it to transmit the "take a break" message to the starch production enzyme.
The team also realized that the mechanism remains active at a low level throughout the day, as if the plant drives its starch production by pressing on the gas pedal and the brakes simultaneously: turning the production on while at the same time keeping it in check. When the scientists genetically engineered the plants to eliminate the "brakes," starch production shot up by nearly 20 percent. This suggests that generally, production efficiency stands at only about 80 percent because the brake pedal is on all the time.
For more details, read the news release from the Weizmann Institute of Science.
|
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Cornell Alliance for Science Launches Global Conversation to End Hunger
- Political Goodwill Key in Sudan's Adoption of Bt Cotton
- 'Orphan Gene' to Boost Protein Content of Staple Crops
- Synthetic Biologists Make Genetic Circuits for Programmable Plants
- Scientists Sequence Resurrection Grass Genome
- Filipino Students Learn about Modern Biotech Principles and Applications
- Role of Biotech Communication Highlighted in Philippine National Biotech Week
- "Off" Switch for Starch Production in Plants Discovered
-
Research Highlights
- The Role of PpMYB10.1 Gene in Anthocyanin Accumulation in Peach
- Enhancing Blast Disease Resistance by Overexpression of the OsCPK4 Gene in Rice
-
Beyond Crop Biotech
- Scientists Engineer Algae to Specifically Kill Cancer Cells
- University of California Scientists Create GE Malaria-Blocking Mosquitoes
- US FDA: GE Salmon as Safe to Eat as Non-GE Salmon
-
From the BICs
- Biotech Information Network Gathers for a Biosafety Seminar in Malaysia
-
Announcements
- Independent Professional Seed Association Annual Conference
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (September 18, 2024)
- Gene Editing Supplement (September 11, 2024)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet