Glycomic Mapping of the Maize Plant Points to Greater Utilization of the Entire Plant

Abstract

The goal of food sustainability is possible if greater utilization of plants is achieved. In corn, only the kernels are currently used for human consumption; however, edible carbohydrates that may function as dietary fiber are present throughout the plant. A glycomic map of the maize plant was obtained providing a broad structural view of the carbohydrate distribution revealing that non-cellulosic material was present throughout. Newly developed rapid throughput liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry-based methods for analyzing monosaccharide and linkage compositions show unique structural features in the respective segments and parts of the plants from the roots to the tassel. The most abundant monosaccharides of the 14 that were monitored included glucose, xylose, and arabinose. Additionally, galactose, fructose, rhamnose, mannose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid were found in lower abundances. The relative abundances of each monosaccharide varied with the parts of the plants. Linkage compositions also varied and provided further structural information that included the presence of polysaccharides such as xylans, starch, pectins, xyloglucans, arabinans, galactans, and β-glucans. The nonstructural carbohydrate components including the free mono-and disaccharides were also measured to provide a unique geographical map of their abundances. The glycomic map of corn would guide traditional plant breeding methods and new genome editing tools toward tissue-specific enhancements of carbohydrate polymers that have unique and specific functional utility.

Quantitative Bottom-Up Glycomic Analysis of Polysaccharides in Food Matrices Using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

“…Furthermore, the FITDOG method complements the other high-throughput methods we have reported, − such as monosaccharide and glycosidic linkage analyses. This suite of glycomics-based methodologies can advance research studies on food composition, including processing effects on food carbohydrates as well as the effect of dietary carbohydrate components on the gut microbiome and their impact on health outcomes.…”

Genome evolution and transcriptome plasticity is associated with adaptation to monocot and dicot plants in Colletotrichum fungi

“…The selected substrates differ in sugar/polysaccharide composition, with sugar beet pulp being rich in cellulose, pectin, and xyloglucan [ 22 ], while maize powder is rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, particularly glucuronoarabinoxylan [ 23 ]. Both plant substrates have been used as valuable waste biomass for industrial applications [ 24–26 ] and therefore largely used as substrates in similar studies to address the microbial degradation performance/requirements [ 27–29 ].…”

Profiling of cool-season forage arabinoxylans via a validated HPAEC-PAD method

“…Galactose levels, which could arise from complex, galactose-bearing side-chains in the AX ( Schendel et al., 2016 ), were low overall (2-3% of the released monosaccharides), but were significantly higher in tall fescue and bluegrass compared to perennial rye and timothy. Galactose could also partially originate from rhamnogalacturonan I pectic polysaccharides (galactan side chains), which are observed at low levels in the primary cell wall of grasses ( Chesson et al., 1995 ; Xue et al., 2013 ; Couture et al., 2021 ; Avci, 2023 ). Trace amounts of rhamnose, which also arise from rhamnogalacturonans, were seen in all samples.…”