Trehalose metabolism: a regulatory role for trehalose-6-phosphate?

Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2003 Jun;6(3):231-5. doi: 10.1016/s1369-5266(03)00037-2.

Abstract

Trehalose is a disaccharide that was initially thought to be rare in plants but now appears to be ubiquitous. A recent study has established that the initial step in trehalose synthesis is essential in Arabidopsis. Evidence is emerging that the precursor of trehalose (trehalose-6-phosphate) is an important regulatory molecule. In yeast, trehalose-6-phosphate regulates sugar influx into glycolysis. In plants, trehalose-6-phosphate also appears to regulate sugar metabolism, but the underlying mechanism is unresolved and may be substantially different from that in yeast.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carbohydrate Metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Glucosyltransferases / chemistry
  • Glucosyltransferases / genetics
  • Glucosyltransferases / metabolism
  • Glycolysis / genetics
  • Glycolysis / physiology
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Plants / enzymology*
  • Plants / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Seeds / enzymology
  • Seeds / genetics
  • Sugar Phosphates / metabolism*
  • Trehalose / analogs & derivatives*
  • Trehalose / metabolism*

Substances

  • Sugar Phosphates
  • trehalose-6-phosphate
  • Trehalose
  • Glucosyltransferases
  • trehalose-6-phosphate synthase