Coalescence and directed anisotropic growth of starch granule initials in subdomains of Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts

Léo Bürgy, Simona Eicke, Christophe Kopp, Camilla Jenny, Kuan Jen Lu, Stephane Escrig, Anders Meibom and Samuel C. Zeeman ()
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Léo Bürgy: Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, ETH Zurich
Simona Eicke: Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, ETH Zurich
Christophe Kopp: Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Camilla Jenny: Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, ETH Zurich
Kuan Jen Lu: Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, ETH Zurich
Stephane Escrig: Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Anders Meibom: Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Samuel C. Zeeman: Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, ETH Zurich

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Living cells orchestrate enzyme activities to produce myriads of biopolymers but cell-biological understanding of such processes is scarce. Starch, a plant biopolymer forming discrete, semi-crystalline granules within plastids, plays a central role in glucose storage, which is fundamental to life. Combining complementary imaging techniques and Arabidopsis genetics we reveal that, in chloroplasts, multiple starch granules initiate in stromal pockets between thylakoid membranes. These initials coalesce, then grow anisotropically to form lenticular granules. The major starch polymer, amylopectin, is synthesized at the granule surface, while the minor amylose component is deposited internally. The non-enzymatic domain of STARCH SYNTHASE 4, which controls the protein’s localization, is required for anisotropic growth. These results present us with a conceptual framework for understanding the biosynthesis of this key nutrient.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27151-5

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