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Updated: May 11, 2026
09:27
Rapid One-step Enzymatic Synthesis and All-aqueous Purification of Trehalose Analogues
Published on: February 17, 2017
Trehalases: a neglected carbon metabolism regulator?
Aarón Barraza1, Federico Sánchez
1Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas; Instituto de Biotecnología/Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Plant Signaling & Behavior
|May 10, 2013
Summary
Trehalase enzymes, crucial for breaking down trehalose, likely originated in bacteria, not eukaryotes. Their conserved structures across diverse organisms highlight important roles in metabolism and cellular regulation.
Area of Science:
- Enzymology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Trehalases catalyze the hydrolysis of trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide.
- Previous hypotheses suggested an eukaryotic origin for trehalases.
- Trehalase enzymes are found across bacterial, plant, animal, and fungal lineages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary origin of trehalases.
- To analyze the structural conservation and phylogenetic relationships of trehalases.
- To elucidate the diverse regulatory functions of trehalases.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis of trehalase sequences.
- Comparative structural analysis of deduced and crystallographic trehalase structures.
- Identification of conserved motifs within trehalase structures.
Main Results:
- Trehalase phylogeny revealed three distinct branches: bacterial, plant/animal, and fungal.
- Enzyme structures are highly conserved despite sequence variations, suggesting a bacterial origin.
- Six conserved motifs were identified, indicating evolutionary selection for structural stability.
Conclusions:
- Trehalases likely possess a prokaryotic origin.
- These enzymes play significant roles in carbon metabolism.
- Trehalases are involved in various regulatory functions, including pathogen response, symbiosis, and energy supply.
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