Accumulation of multiple-repeat starch-binding domains (SBD2-SBD5) does not reduce amylose content of potato starch granules

Starch and Glycogen Analyses: Methods and Techniques

For complex carbohydrates, such as glycogen and starch, various analytical methods and techniques exist allowing the detailed characterization of these storage carbohydrates. In this article, we give a brief overview of the most frequently used methods, techniques, and results. Furthermore, we give insights in the isolation, purification, and fragmentation of both starch and glycogen. An overview of the different structural levels of the glucans is given and the corresponding analytical techniques are discussed. Moreover, future perspectives of the analytical needs and the challenges of the currently developing scientific questions are included.

A tandem CBM25 domain of α-amylase from Microbacterium aurum as potential tool for targeting proteins to starch granules during starch biosynthesis

BACKGROUND

Starch-binding domains from carbohydrate binding module family 20 have been used as a tool for starch engineering. Previous studies showed that expression of starch binding domain fusion proteins in planta resulted in modified starch granule structures and physicochemical properties. However, although 13 carbohydrate binding module families have been reported to contain starch-binding domains, only starch-binding domains from carbohydrate binding module family 20 have been well studied and introduced into plants successfully. In this study, two fragments, the tandem CBM25 domain and the tandem CBM25 with multiple fibronectin type III (FN3) domains of the α-amylase enzyme from Microbacterium aurum, were expressed in the tubers of a wild type potato cultivar (cv. Kardal) and an amylose-free (amf) potato mutant.

RESULTS

The (CBM25)2 and FN3 protein were successfully accumulated in the starch granules of both Kardal and amf transformants. The accumulation of (CBM25)2 protein did not result in starch morphological alterations in Kardal but gave rise to rough starch granules in amf, while the FN3 resulted in morphological changes of starch granules (helical starch granules in Kardal and rough surface granules in amf) but only at a very low frequency. The starches of the different transformants did not show significant differences in starch size distribution, apparent amylose content, and physico-chemical properties in comparison to that of untransformed controls.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the starch-binding domains from carbohydrate binding module family 25 can be used as a novel tool for targeting proteins to starch granules during starch biosynthesis without side-effects on starch morphology, composition and properties.

Expression of an amylosucrase gene in potato results in larger starch granules with novel properties

Expression of amylosucrase in potato resulted in larger starch granules with rough surfaces and novel physico-chemical properties, including improved freeze-thaw stability, higher end viscosity, and better enzymatic digestibility. Starch is a very important carbohydrate in many food and non-food applications. In planta modification of starch by genetic engineering has significant economic and environmental benefits as it makes the chemical or physical post-harvest modification obsolete. An amylosucrase from Neisseria polysaccharea fused to a starch-binding domain (SBD) was introduced in two potato genetic backgrounds to synthesize starch granules with altered composition, and thereby to broaden starch applications. Expression of SBD-amylosucrase fusion protein in the amylose-containing potato resulted in starch granules with a rough surface, a twofold increase in median granule size, and altered physico-chemical properties including improved freeze-thaw stability, higher end viscosity, and better enzymatic digestibility. These effects are possibly a result of the physical interaction between amylosucrase and starch granules. The modified larger starches not only have great benefit to the potato starch industry by reducing losses during starch isolation, but also have an advantage in many food applications such as frozen food due to its extremely high freeze-thaw stability.

Expression of an engineered granule-bound Escherichia coli glycogen branching enzyme in potato results in severe morphological changes in starch granules

The Escherichia coli glycogen branching enzyme (GLGB) was fused to either the C- or N-terminus of a starch-binding domain (SBD) and expressed in two potato genetic backgrounds: the amylose-free mutant (amf) and an amylose-containing line (Kardal). Regardless of background or construct used, a large amount of GLGB/SBD fusion protein was accumulated inside the starch granules, however, without an increase in branching. The presence of GLGB/SBD fusion proteins resulted in altered morphology of the starch granules in both genetic backgrounds. In the amf genetic background, the starch granules showed both amalgamated granules and porous starch granules, whereas in Kardal background, the starch granules showed an irregular rough surface. The altered starch granules in both amf and Kardal backgrounds were visible from the initial stage of potato tuber development. High-throughput transcriptomic analysis showed that expression of GLGB/SBD fusion protein in potato tubers did not affect the expression level of most genes directly involved in the starch biosynthesis except for the up-regulation of a beta-amylase gene in Kardal background. The beta-amylase protein could be responsible for the degradation of the extra branches potentially introduced by GLGB.

Production of small starch granules by expression of a tandem-repeat of a family 20 starch-binding domain (SBD3-SBD5) in an amylose-free potato genetic background

Starch exists typically as semicrystalline granules of varying size. Granule size plays an important role for many industrial starch applications. Microbial non-catalytic starch binding domains (SBD) exhibit an affinity for starch granules on their own. Three different constructs were introduced in the amylose-free potato cultivar (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. amf) to investigate whether it is possible to produce smaller starch granules by an engineered, high-affinity, tandem-repeats of a family 20 starch-binding domain (SBD3, SBD4 and SBD5). A significant reduction in the size of starch granule was achieved in transgenic potato plants. Furthermore, it was shown that the SBDn expression can affect physical processes underlying granule assembly and the poorly understood granule formation. Expression of multiple linked SBDs resulted in amalgamated starch granules that consisted of many smaller granules. No significant alterations were observed with regard to rheological properties of starch granules.

The carbohydrate-binding module family 20--diversity, structure, and function

Starch-active enzymes often possess starch-binding domains (SBDs) mediating attachment to starch granules and other high molecular weight substrates. SBDs are divided into nine carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) families, and CBM20 is the earliest-assigned and best characterized family. High diversity characterizes CBM20s, which occur in starch-active glycoside hydrolase families 13, 14, 15, and 77, and enzymes involved in starch or glycogen metabolism, exemplified by the starch-phosphorylating enzyme glucan, water dikinase 3 from Arabidopsis thaliana and the mammalian glycogen phosphatases, laforins. The clear evolutionary relatedness of CBM20s to CBM21s, CBM48s and CBM53s suggests a common clan hosting most of the known SBDs. This review surveys the diversity within the CBM20 family, and makes an evolutionary comparison with CBM21s, CBM48s and CBM53s, discussing intrafamily and interfamily relationships. Data on binding to and enzymatic activity towards soluble ligands and starch granules are summarized for wild-type, mutant and chimeric fusion proteins involving CBM20s. Noticeably, whereas CBM20s in amylolytic enzymes confer moderate binding affinities, with dissociation constants in the low micromolar range for the starch mimic beta-cyclodextrin, recent findings indicate that CBM20s in regulatory enzymes have weaker, low millimolar affinities, presumably facilitating dynamic regulation. Structures of CBM20s, including the first example of a full-length glucoamylase featuring both the catalytic domain and the SBD, are summarized, and distinct architectural and functional features of the two SBDs and roles of pivotal amino acids in binding are described. Finally, some applications of SBDs as affinity or immobilization tags and, recently, in biofuel and in planta bioengineering are presented.

Expression of an engineered granule-bound Escherichia coli maltose acetyltransferase in wild-type and amf potato plants

Starch is used in many industrial applications, but often requires chemical derivatization to enhance its properties before use. In particular, the stability of starch polymers in solution is improved by acetylation. A drawback of this treatment is the use of pollutant chemicals. A biological alternative to chemical derivatization was investigated by the expression of an amyloplast-targeted Escherichia coli maltose acetyltransferase (MAT) gene in tubers of wild-type (Kardal) and mutant amylose-free (amf) potato plants. MAT was expressed as such, or fused to the N- or C-terminus of a non-catalytic starch-binding domain (SBD) to target the starch granule. Starch granules derived from transgenic plants were found to contain acetyl groups, although their content was low, opening up an avenue to move away from the post-harvest chemical derivatization of starch. MAT inside starch granules was found to be active post-harvest when supplied with acetyl-coenzyme A and glucose or maltose, but it did not acetylate starch polymers in vitro. Starch granules from transformants in which MAT alone was expressed also showed MAT activity, indicating that MAT is accumulated in starch granules, and has affinity for starch by itself. Furthermore, starch granule morphology was altered, and fusion proteins containing MAT and SBD seemed to have a higher affinity for starch granules than two appended SBDs. These results are discussed against the background of the quaternary structure of MAT.

Fusion proteins comprising the catalytic domain of mutansucrase and a starch-binding domain can alter the morphology of amylose-free potato starch granules during biosynthesis

It has been shown previously that mutan can be co-synthesized with starch when a truncated mutansucrase (GtfICAT) is directed to potato tuber amyloplasts. The mutan seemed to adhere to the isolated starch granules, but it was not incorporated in the starch granules. In this study, GtfICAT was fused to the N- or C-terminus of a starch-binding domain (SBD). These constructs were introduced into two genetically different potato backgrounds (cv. Kardal and amf), in order to bring GtfICAT in more intimate contact with growing starch granules, and to facilitate the incorporation of mutan polymers in starch. Fusion proteins of the appropriate size were evidenced in starch granules, particularly in the amf background. The starches from the various GtfICAT/SBD transformants seemed to contain less mutan than those from transformants with GtfICAT alone, suggesting that the appended SBD might inhibit the activity of GtfICAT in the engineered fusion proteins. Scanning electron microscopy showed that expression of SBD-GtfICAT resulted in alterations of granule morphology in both genetic backgrounds. Surprisingly, the amf starches containing SBD-GtfICAT had a spongeous appearance, i.e., the granule surface contained many small holes and grooves, suggesting that this fusion protein can interfere with the lateral interactions of amylopectin sidechains. No differences in physico-chemical properties of the transgenic starches were observed. Our results show that expression of granule-bound and "soluble" GtfICAT can affect starch biosynthesis differently.