Reduced vacuolar β-1,3-glucan synthesis affects carbohydrate metabolism as well as plastid homeostasis and structure in Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

ABSTRACT: The β-1,3-glucan chrysolaminarin is the main storage polysaccharide of diatoms. In contrast to plants and green algae, diatoms and most other algal groups do not accumulate storage polysaccharides in their plastids. The diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum possesses only a single gene encoding a putative β-1,3-glucan synthase (PtBGS). Here, we characterize this enzyme by expressing GFP fusion proteins in P. tricornutum and by creating and investigating corresponding gene silencing mutants. We demonstrate that PtBGS is a vacuolar protein located in the tonoplast. Metabolite analyses of two mutant strains with reduced amounts of PtBGS reveal a reduction in their chrysolaminarin content and an increase of soluble sugars and lipids. This indicates that carbohydra

SUBMITTER: Huang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5939080 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature