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Free keywords:
inulin
levan
cold acclimation
subzero acclimation
model systems
liposomes
membrane stabilization
sugar glasses
lipid phase transitions
plant transformation
sucrose-sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase
molecular-dynamics simulations
phase-transition temperature
wheat triticum-aestivum
potato solanum-tuberosum
cichorium-intybus l
lolium-temulentum l
freeze-thaw damage
high dp fructan
functional-characterization
Abstract:
Numerous studies have been published that attempted to correlate fructan concentrations with freezing and drought tolerance. Studies investigating the effect of fructan on liposomes indicated that a direct interaction between membranes and fructan was possible. This new area of research began to move fructan and its association with stress beyond mere correlation by confirming that fructan has the capacity to stabilize membranes during drying by inserting at least part of the polysaccharide into the lipid headgroup region of the membrane. This helps prevent leakage when water is removed from the system either during freezing or drought. When plants were transformed with the ability to synthesize fructan, a concomitant increase in drought and/or freezing tolerance was confirmed. These experiments indicate that besides an indirect effect of supplying tissues with hexose sugars, fructan has a direct protective effect that can be demonstrated by both model systems and genetic transformation.
