Identification and characterization of antimicrobial proteins from the starch granule surface proteome

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Plants and algae use light energy to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide into sugars by way of a complex series of reactions in the chloroplast collectively called photosynthesis. These sugars act as the cellular fuel, ultimately driving metabolic processes that allow plants and algae to grow, develop and reproduce. These sugars are often produced in excess and are used at times when energy generation capabilities are at a minimum, such as in the evening or in the seed of a flowering plant. Under such conditions, the sugars can be stored as complex carbohydrates, which in plants and many algae is starch. Starch granules function as cellular energy reserves and may shrink or swell in size according to the energy demands of the cell. Starch and related polysaccharides are the most abundant, naturally occurring and renewable substances and as such, are integral to the growth and sustenance of many complex life forms. The enzymatic processes responsible for starch preservation from pathogenic exploitation remain largely unknown. An understanding of starch regulation is of utmost importance both as an emerging resource for biofuels as well as the industries that rely heavily on starch as a raw material.