Formation of starch in plant cells

• Published in: Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS Vol. 73; no. 14; pp. 2781 - 2807
• Main Authors: Pfister, Barbara, Zeeman, Samuel C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.07.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Carbohydrates; Cell Biology; crop models; crops; Enzymes; Enzymes - chemistry; Enzymes - metabolism; Life Sciences; Multi-Author Review; nutrition; Phosphorylation; Plant biology; Plant cells; Plant Cells - metabolism; Plant tissues; Proteins; Starch; Starch - biosynthesis; Starch - chemistry; Starch - metabolism; starch granules; Substrate Specificity; uncertainty; Protein complex formation; Amylose; Protein phosphorylation; Amylopectin; Arabidopsis thaliana
• ISSN: 1420-682X; 1420-9071; 1420-9071
• DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2250-x

Starch-rich crops form the basis of our nutrition, but plants have still to yield all their secrets as to how they make this vital substance. Great progress has been made by studying both crop and model systems, and we approach the point of knowing the enzymatic machinery responsible for creating the massive, insoluble starch granules found in plant tissues. Here, we summarize our current understanding of these biosynthetic enzymes, highlighting recent progress in elucidating their specific functions. Yet, in many ways we have only scratched the surface: much uncertainty remains about how these components function together and are controlled. We flag-up recent observations suggesting a significant degree of flexibility during the synthesis of starch and that previously unsuspected non-enzymatic proteins may have a role. We conclude that starch research is not yet a mature subject and that novel experimental and theoretical approaches will be important to advance the field.