A5048436688- Polysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Enzyme Production and Characterization
- Advanced Cellulose Research Studies
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Plant Gene Expression Analysis
- Polysaccharides Composition and Applications
- Food composition and properties
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Advanced Proteomics Techniques and Applications
- Lignin and Wood Chemistry
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis
- Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Transgenic Plants and Applications
- Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
- Caveolin-1 and cellular processes
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Phytase and its Applications
University of Cambridge
2016-2025
Leverhulme Trust
2016-2021
Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry
2013
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
2013
Saitama University
2012-2013
Medical Research Council
2012
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
2012
Nara Institute of Science and Technology
2010
Danish National Research Foundation
2007
University of Copenhagen
2007
Trees, and their derivative products, have been used by societies around the world for thousands of years. Contemporary construction tall buildings from timber, in whole or part, suggests a growing interest potential building with wood at scale not previously attainable. As is only significant material that grown, we natural inclination good environment. But under what conditions this really case? The environmental benefits using timber are straightforward; although it product, large amount...
The enzymatic degradation of recalcitrant plant biomass is one the key industrial challenges 21st century. Accordingly, there a continuing drive to discover new routes promote polysaccharide degradation. Perhaps most promising approach involves application “cellulase-enhancing factors,” such as those from glycoside hydrolase (CAZy) GH61 family. Here we show that enzymes are unique family copper-dependent oxidases. We demonstrate copper needed for maximal activity and formation cellodextrin...
In simple epithelial cells, apical and basolateral proteins are sorted into separate vesicular carriers before delivery to the appropriate plasma membrane domains. To dissect putative sorting machinery, we have solubilized Golgi-derived transport vesicles with detergent CHAPS shown that an marker, influenza haemagglutinin (HA), formed a large complex together several integral proteins. Remarkably, similar set of CHAPS-insoluble was found after solubilization total cellular fraction. This...
A challenging task in the study of secretory pathway is identification and localization new proteins to increase our understanding functions different organelles. Previous proteomic studies endomembrane system have been hindered by contaminating proteins, making it impossible assign Here we used organelle isotope tagging technique conjunction with tags for relative absolute quantitation 2D liquid chromatography simultaneous assignment multiple subcellular compartments. With this approach,...
The trafficking and function of cell surface proteins in eukaryotic cells may require association with detergent-resistant sphingolipid- sterol-rich membrane domains. aim this work was to obtain evidence for lipid domain phenomena plant membranes. A protocol prepare Triton X-100 membranes (DRMs) developed using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) callus comparative proteomics approach two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry revealed that...
Abstract In a recent bioinformatic analysis, we predicted the presence of multiple families cell surface glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins (GAPs) in Arabidopsis (G.H.H. Borner, D.J. Sherrier, T.J. Stevens, I.T. Arkin, P. Dupree [2002] Plant Physiol 129: 486-499). A number publications have since demonstrated importance GAPs diverse physiological processes including root development, wall integrity, and adhesion. However, direct experimental evidence for their GPI anchoring...
Abstract The structure of the human gut microbiota is controlled primarily through degradation complex dietary carbohydrates, but extent to which carbohydrate breakdown products are shared between members unclear. We show here, using xylan as a model, that sharing carbohydrates by key microbiota, such Bacteroides ovatus , dependent on complexity target glycan. Characterization extensive degrading apparatus expressed B. reveals polysaccharide significantly more than previous models suggested,...
Abstract Exploitation of plant lignocellulosic biomass is hampered by our ignorance the molecular basis for its properties such as strength and digestibility. Xylan, most prevalent non-cellulosic polysaccharide, binds to cellulose microfibrils. The nature this interaction remains unclear, despite importance. Here we show that majority xylan, which forms a threefold helical screw in solution, flattens into twofold ribbon bind intimately microfibrils cell wall. 13 C solid-state magic-angle...
Abstract The orientation of cell expansion is a process at the heart plant morphogenesis. Cellulose microfibrils are primary anisotropic material in wall and thus likely to be main determinant expansion. COBRA (COB) has been identified previously as potential regulator cellulose biogenesis. In this study, characterization null allele, cob-4, establishes key role COB controlling most developing organs. Quantitative polarized-light field-emission scanning electron microscopy reveal that loss...
Summary Previous studies using co‐expression analysis have identified a large number of genes likely to be involved in secondary cell‐wall formation. However, the function very few these is known. We studied phenotype irx7 , irx8 and irx9 three previously described irregular xylem ( irx ) mutants, irx14 parvus‐3 which we now show also mutants. All five mutations encoding putative glycosyltransferases, exhibited decreases xylan. In addition, all mutants were found same specific defect xylan...
Summary Xylan, the major hemicellulosic polysaccharide in Arabidopsis secondary cell walls, requires a number of glycosyltransferases (GT) to catalyse formation various glycosidic linkages found polymer. In this study, we characterized IRX10 and IRX10‐like ( IRX10‐L ), two highly homologous genes encoding members glycosyltransferase family 47 (GT47). T‐DNA insertions gave mild irregular xylem (irx) phenotype consistent with minor defect cell‐wall synthesis, whereas plants containing...
As one of the most abundant polysaccharides on Earth, xylan will provide more than a third sugars for lignocellulosic biofuel production when using grass or hardwood feedstocks. Xylan is characterized by linear β(1,4)-linked backbone xylosyl residues substituted glucuronic acid, 4- O -methylglucuronic acid arabinose, depending plant species and cell types. The biological role these decorations unclear, but they have major influence properties polysaccharide. Despite recent isolation several...
Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are recently discovered enzymes that oxidatively deconstruct polysaccharides. LPMOs fundamental in the effective utilization of these substrates by bacteria and fungi; moreover, have significant industrial importance. We report here activity, spectroscopy three-dimensional structure a starch-active LPMO, representative new CAZy AA13 family. demonstrate generate aldonic acid-terminated malto-oligosaccharides from retrograded starch boost...
Abstract We previously showed that the VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN6 (VND6) and VND7 genes, which encode NAM/ATAF/CUC domain protein transcription factors, act as key regulators of xylem vessel differentiation. Here, we report a glucocorticoid-mediated posttranslational induction system VND6 VND7. In this system, or is expressed fused with activation herpes virus VP16 hormone-binding animal glucocorticoid receptor, protein's activity induced by treatment dexamethasone (DEX), derivative. Upon...
Abstract Background Second-generation biofuels are generally produced from the polysaccharides in lignocellulosic plant biomass, mainly cellulose. However, because cellulose is embedded a matrix of other and lignin, its hydrolysis into fermentable glucose hampered. The senesced inflorescence stems set 20 Arabidopsis thaliana mutants 10 different genes lignin biosynthetic pathway were analyzed for cell wall composition saccharification yield. Saccharification models built to elucidate which...
The interaction between xylan and cellulose microfibrils is important for secondary cell wall properties in vascular plants; however, the molecular arrangement of nature bonding polysaccharides are unknown. In dicots, backbone β-(1,4)-linked xylosyl residues decorated by occasional glucuronic acid, approximately one-half O-acetylated at C-2 or C-3. We recently proposed that even, periodic spacing GlcA major domain dicot might allow to fold as a twofold helical screw facilitate alignment...
Thermobia domestica belongs to an ancient group of insects and has a remarkable ability digest crystalline cellulose without microbial assistance. By investigating the digestive proteome Thermobia, we have identified over 20 members uncharacterized family lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs). We show that this LPMO spans across several clades Tree Life, is origin, was recruited by early arthropods with possible roles in remodeling endogenous chitin scaffolds during development...
Xylan, a hemicellulosic component of the plant cell wall, is one most abundant polysaccharides in nature. In contrast to dicots, xylan grasses extensively modified by α-(1,2)– and α-(1,3)–linked arabinofuranose. Despite importance grass arabinoxylan human animal nutrition for bioenergy, enzymes adding arabinosyl substitutions are unknown. Here we demonstrate that knocking-down glycosyltransferase (GT) 61 expression wheat endosperm strongly decreases substitution xylan. Moreover, heterologous...
Economically important softwood from conifers is mainly composed of the polysaccharides cellulose, galactoglucomannan and xylan, phenolic polymer, lignin. The interactions between these polymers lead to wood mechanical strength must be overcome in biorefining. Here, we use 13C multidimensional solid-state NMR analyse polymer never-dried cell walls softwood, spruce. In contrast some earlier wall models, most xylan binds cellulose two-fold screw conformation. Moreover, alters its conformation...
We describe a proteomics method for determining the subcellular localization of membrane proteins. Organelles are partially separated using centrifugation through self-generating density gradients. Proteins from each organelle co-fractionate and therefore exhibit similar distributions in gradient. Protein can be determined series pair-wise comparisons gradient fractions, cleavable ICAT to enable relative quantitation protein levels by MS. The novel proteins is multivariate data analysis...