Germinating oilseeds break down fatty acids through peroxisomal β-oxidation and convert the carbon into soluble carbohydrates through the glyoxylate cycle and gluconeogenesis. This interconversion is unique among higher eukaryotes. Using a combination of forward and reverse genetic screens, we have isolated mutants that compromise fatty acid breakdown at each step. These mutants exhibit characteristic, yet nonidentical, seedling establishment phenotypes that can be rescued by the provision of an alternative carbon source. In addition, we have recently shown that Arabidopsis seed's lipid breakdown occurs in two distinct tissues, the embryo and endosperm. The utilization of endospermic lipid reserves requires gluconeogenesis and transport of the resulting sugars to the germinating embryo. We discuss the potential of the Arabidopsis endosperm tissue as a simplified model system for the study of germination and lipid breakdown in germinating oilseeds.
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April 2005
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Conference Article|
April 01 2005
Storage reserve mobilization in germinating oilseeds: Arabidopsis as a model system
S. Penfield;
S. Penfield
1CNAP, Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York YO10 5YW, U.K.
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S. Graham;
S. Graham
1CNAP, Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York YO10 5YW, U.K.
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I.A. Graham
I.A. Graham
1
1CNAP, Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York YO10 5YW, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email iag1@york.ac.uk).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
December 10 2004
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2005 The Biochemical Society
2005
Biochem Soc Trans (2005) 33 (2): 380–383.
Article history
Received:
December 10 2004
Citation
S. Penfield, S. Graham, I.A. Graham; Storage reserve mobilization in germinating oilseeds: Arabidopsis as a model system. Biochem Soc Trans 1 April 2005; 33 (2): 380–383. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0330380
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