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Ultrasensitive behavior in the synthesis of storage polysaccharides in cyanobacteria

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Abstract

The glycogen synthetic pathway operates ultrasensitively as a function of the ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase (ADPGlcPPase) allosteric effectors, 3-phosphoglycerate and Pi, in permeabilized cells of the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. In vitro data previously showed that the ultrasensitive behavior of ADPGlcPPase depends upon cross-talk between the two allosteric effectors, the enzyme's response being additionally modulated by molecular crowding [D.F. Gómez Casatiet al. (2000) Biochem J 350:139–147]. In the present work we show, experimentally and with a mathematical model, that α-1,4-glucan synthesis is also ultrasensitive in cells due to the propagation of the switch-like behavior of ADPGlcPPase to the synthetic pathway. Amplifications of up to 20-fold in storage-polysaccharide synthesis can be achieved with a modest 6.7-fold increase in 3-phosphoglycerate in the presence of 5 mM Pi in contrast to the 30-fold necessary in its absence. This is the first time that this phenomenon has been reported to occur in the glycogen synthetic pathway of a photosynthetic prokaryote. The implications of the results for plant cell physiology during light–dark transitions are discussed.

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Fig. 1.
Fig. 2A, B.
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Abbreviations

ADPGlc:

ADPglucose

ADPGlcPPase:

ADPGlc pyrophosphorylase

GLY:

glycogen

G1P:

glucose-1-phosphate

ODE:

ordinary differential equation

PEG:

polyethylene glycol

3PGA:

3-phosphoglycerate

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, Argentina; PIP 0443/98) and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT'99 No. 1-6074). The authors thank J.L. Burgos for technical assistance. D.F.G.-C. is a fellow from CONICET; M.A.A., S.C., and A.A.I. are researchers from the same institution.

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  1. Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB INTECH), Camino de Circunvalación Laguna km 6, CC 164 (7130) Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Diego F. Gómez-Casati, Sonia Cortassa, Miguel A. Aon & Alberto A. Iglesias

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  1. Diego F. Gómez-Casati
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  2. Sonia Cortassa
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  3. Miguel A. Aon
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  4. Alberto A. Iglesias
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Correspondence to Alberto A. Iglesias.

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Gómez-Casati, D.F., Cortassa, S., Aon, M.A. et al. Ultrasensitive behavior in the synthesis of storage polysaccharides in cyanobacteria. Planta 216, 969–975 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-002-0949-4

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