This work investigated the roles of b-amylases in the breakdown of leaf starch. Of the nine b-amylase (BAM)-like proteins encoded in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, at least four (BAM1, -2, -3, and -4) are chloroplastic. When expressed as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli, BAM1, BAM2, and BAM3 had measurable b-amylase activity but BAM4 did not. BAM4 has multiple amino acid substitutions relative to characterized b-amylases, including one of the two catalytic residues. Modeling predicts major differences between the glucan binding site of BAM4 and those of active b-amylases. Thus, BAM4 probably lost its catalytic capacity during evolution. Total b-amylase activity was reduced in leaves of bam1 and bam3 mutants but not in bam2 and bam4 mutants. The bam3 mutant had elevated starch levels and lower nighttime maltose levels than the wild type, whereas bam1 did not. However, the bam1 bam3 double mutant had a more severe phenotype than bam3, suggesting functional overlap between the two proteins. Surprisingly, bam4 mutants had elevated starch levels. Introduction of the bam4 mutation into the bam3 and bam1 bam3 backgrounds further elevated the starch levels in both cases. These data suggest that BAM4 facilitates or regulates starch breakdown and operates independently of BAM1 and BAM3. Together, our findings are consistent with the proposal that b-amylase is a major enzyme of starch breakdown in leaves, but they reveal unexpected complexity in terms of the specialization of protein function.

Plants contain b-amylase-like proteins (BAMs; enzymes usually associated with starch breakdown) present in the nucleus rather than targeted to the chloroplast. They possess BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1 (BZR1)-type DNA binding domainsalso found in transcription factors mediating brassinosteroid (BR) responses. The two Arabidopsis thaliana BZR1-BAM proteins (BAM7 and BAM8) bind a cis-regulatory element that both contains a G box and resembles a BR-responsive element. In protoplast transactivation assays, these BZR1-BAMs activate gene expression. Structural modeling suggests that the BAM domain's glucan binding cleft is intact, but the recombinant proteins are at least 1000 times less active than chloroplastic b-amylases. Deregulation of BZR1-BAMs (the bam7bam8 double mutant and BAM8-overexpressing plants) causes altered leaf growth and development. Of the genes upregulated in plants overexpressing BAM8 and downregulated in bam7bam8 plants, many carry the cis-regulatory element in their promoters. Many genes that respond to BRs are inversely regulated by BZR1-BAMs. We propose a role for BZR1-BAMs in controlling plant growth and development through crosstalk with BR signaling. Furthermore, we speculate that BZR1-BAMs may transmit metabolic signals by binding a ligand in their BAM domain, although diurnal changes in the concentration of maltose, a candidate ligand produced by chloroplastic b-amylases, do not influence their transcription factor function.

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of current models of starch breakdown in leaves. We summarise the results of our recent work focusing on Arabidopsis, relating them to other work in the field. Early biochemical studies of starch containing tissues identified numerous enzymes capable of participating in starch degradation. In the non-living endosperms of germinated cereal seeds, starch breakdown proceeds by the combined actions of α-amylase, limit dextrinase (debranching enzyme), β-amylase and α-glucosidase. The activities of these enzymes and the regulation of some of the respective genes on germination have been extensively studied. In living plant cells, additional enzymes are present, such as α-glucan phosphorylase and disproportionating enzyme, and the major pathway of starch breakdown appears to differ from that in the cereal endosperm in some important aspects. For example, reverse-genetic studies of Arabidopsis show that α-amylase and limit-dextrinase play minor roles and are dispensable for starch breakdown in leaves. Current data also casts doubt on the involvement of α-glucosidase. In contrast, several lines of evidence point towards a major role for β-amylase in leaves, which functions together with disproportionating enzyme and isoamylase (debranching enzyme) to produce maltose and glucose. Furthermore, the characterisation of Arabidopsis mutants with elevated leaf starch has contributed to the discovery of previously unknown proteins and metabolic steps in the pathway. In particular, it is now apparent that glucan phosphorylation is required for normal rates of starch mobilisation to occur, although a detailed understanding of this step is still lacking. We use this review to give a background to some of the classical genetic mutants that have contributed to our current knowledge.

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