TY  - JOUR
A1  - Mahlow, Sebastian
A1  - Orzechowski, Slawomir
A1  - Fettke, Jörg
T1  - Starch phosphorylation: insights and perspectives
JF  - Cellular and molecular life sciences
N2  - During starch metabolism, the phosphorylation of glucosyl residues of starch, to be more precise of amylopectin, is a repeatedly observed process. This phosphorylation is mediated by dikinases, the glucan, water dikinase (GWD) and the phosphoglucan, water dikinase (PWD). The starch-related dikinases utilize ATP as dual phosphate donor transferring the terminal gamma-phosphate group to water and the beta-phosphate group selectively to either C6 position or C3 position of a glucosyl residue within amylopectin. By the collaborative action of both enzymes, the initiation of a transition of alpha-glucans from highly ordered, water-insoluble state to a less order state is realized and thus the initial process of starch degradation. Consequently, mutants lacking either GWD or PWD reveal a starch excess phenotype as well as growth retardation. In this review, we focus on the increased knowledge collected over the last years related to enzymatic properties, the precise definition of the substrates, the physiological implications, and discuss ongoing questions.
KW  - Starch metabolism
KW  - Glucan, water dikinase
KW  - Phosphoglucan, water dikinase
KW  - Starch phosphorylation
KW  - Starch degradation
Y1  - 2016
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-016-2248-4
SN  - 1420-682X
SN  - 1420-9071
VL  - 73
SP  - 2753
EP  - 2764
PB  - Springer
CY  - Basel
ER  -