The molecular basis of cereal grain proteostasis

Hui Cao; Owen Duncan; A Harvey Millar

doi:10.1042/EBC20210041

The molecular basis of cereal grain proteostasis

Essays Biochem. 2022 Aug 5;66(2):243-253. doi: 10.1042/EBC20210041.

Authors

Hui Cao¹, Owen Duncan^{1

2}, A Harvey Millar^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology and School of Molecular Science, The University of Western Australia, Bayliss Building M316, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
² Western Australia Proteomics Facility, University of Western Australia, Bayliss Building M316, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

Abstract

Storage proteins deposited in the endosperm of cereal grains are both a nitrogen reserve for seed germination and seedling growth and a primary protein source for human nutrition. Detailed surveys of the patterns of storage protein accumulation in cereal grains during grain development have been undertaken, but an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate these patterns is still lacking. Accumulation of storage proteins in cereal grains involves a series of subcellular compartments, a set of energy-dependent events that compete with other cellular processes, and a balance of protein synthesis and protein degradation rates at different times during the developmental process. In this review, we focus on the importance of rates in cereal grain storage protein accumulation during grain development and outline the potential implications and applications of this information to accelerate modern agriculture breeding programmes and optimize energy use efficiency in proteostasis.

Keywords: cereal grain development; proteases; proteostasis; storage protein.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Edible Grain* / metabolism
Humans
Plant Proteins / metabolism
Proteostasis*

Substances

Plant Proteins