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Tuber storage proteins.

Peter R Shewry1

  • 1Long Ashton Research Station, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol, Long Ashton, Bristol BS41 9AF, UK. peter.shewry@bbsrc.ac.uk

Annals of Botany
|May 6, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Tuber storage proteins in major crops like potato and sweet potato have unique biological activities and evolved independently. These proteins may play dual roles in plant defense and nutrition.

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Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Agricultural Science

Background:

  • Five key plant species—potato, cassava, sweet potato, yams, and taro—dominate global edible tuber production.
  • While most edible tubers contain storage proteins, these proteins vary significantly across species in their properties and evolutionary origins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the diversity and biological activities of storage proteins in major edible tubers.
  • To compare the evolutionary relationships of tuber storage proteins with those found in seeds.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of storage protein families across Solanum tuberosum, Manihot esculenta, Ipomoea batatus, Dioscorea spp., and various taro species.
  • Characterization of biochemical properties and biological activities of key storage proteins such as patatin, sporamin, dioscorin, and taro lectins.

Main Results:

  • Potato patatin shows acylhydrolase and esterase activity.
  • Sweet potato sporamin and yam dioscorin function as trypsin inhibitors and possess antioxidant properties.
  • Yam dioscorin acts as a carbonic anhydrase, while taro contains both a trypsin inhibitor and a mannose-binding lectin.

Conclusions:

  • Tuber storage proteins have evolved independently in different plant species, unlike the conserved seed storage proteins.
  • These proteins exhibit diverse biological activities, suggesting potential dual roles in plant defense against pests, pathogens, and environmental stresses, in addition to nutrition.

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