Factors affecting polyhydroxybutyrate accumulation in mesophyll cells of sugarcane and switchgrass

BMC Biotechnology

Richard B McQualter⁴  Maria N Somleva³  Leigh K Gebbie⁴  Xuemei Li²  Lars A Petrasovits⁴  Kristi D Snell³  Lars K Nielsen⁴  Stevens M Brumbley¹ 

[1] Current address: Department of Biological Sciences, The University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA

[2] Current address: Agrivida, 200 Boston Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA

[3] Metabolix, Inc, 21 Erie St, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

[4] Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia

关键词: Biopolymer;    Acetyl-CoA;    C4 grasses;    Biomass;    Switchgrass;    Sugarcane;    Polyhydroxybutyrate;   

Others  :  1084576
DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6750-14-83

 received in 2014-06-09, accepted in 2014-08-29,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear biodegradable polyesters produced by bacteria as a carbon store and used to produce a range of bioplastics. Widespread polyhydroxyalkanoate production in C₄ crops would decrease petroleum dependency by producing a renewable supply of biodegradable plastics along with residual biomass that could be converted into biofuels or energy. Increasing yields to commercial levels in biomass crops however remains a challenge. Previously, lower accumulation levels of the short side chain polyhydroxyalkanoate, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), were observed in the chloroplasts of mesophyll (M) cells compared to bundle sheath (BS) cells in transgenic maize (Zea mays), sugarcane (Saccharum sp.), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) leading to a significant decrease in the theoretical yield potential. Here we explore various factors which might affect polymer accumulation in mesophyll cells, including targeting of the PHB pathway enzymes to the mesophyll plastid and their access to substrate.

Results

The small subunit of Rubisco from pea effectively targeted the PHB biosynthesis enzymes to both M and BS chloroplasts of sugarcane and switchgrass. PHB enzyme activity was retained following targeting to M plastids and was equivalent to that found in the BS plastids. Leaf total fatty acid content was not affected by PHB production. However, when fatty acid synthesis was chemically inhibited, polymer accumulated in M cells.

Conclusions

In this study, we provide evidence that access to substrate and neither poor targeting nor insufficient activity of the PHB biosynthetic enzymes may be the limiting factor for polymer production in mesophyll chloroplasts of C₄ plants.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 McQualter et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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