The search for a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) sequence in the plant kingdom yielded two sequences from the recently published genomes of two green algae species of the Ostreococcus genus, O. tauri and O. lucimarinus. In ...

Abstract Background: Starch‑binding domains are key modules present in several enzymes involved in polysaccharide metabolism. These non‑catalytic modules have already been described as essential for starch‑binding and the ...

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADP-Glc PPase) catalyzes the first committed step for the synthesis of glycogen in cyanobacteria and starch in green algae and plants. The enzyme from cyanobacteria is homotetrameric (α4), ...

Starch branching enzyme is a highly conserved protein from plants to algae. This enzyme participates in starch granule assembly by the addition of α-1,6-glucan branches to the α-1,4-polyglucans. This modification determines ...

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) regulate plant development and many stress signalling pathways through the complex cytosolic [Ca2+] signalling. The genome of Ostreococcus tauri (Ot), a model prasinophyte organism ...

Ostreococcus tauri, the smallest free-living (non-symbiotic) eukaryote yet described, is a unicellular green alga of the Prasinophyceae family. It has a very simple cellular organization and presents a unique starch granule ...

Phytoplankton cells are excellent biosensors for environmental monitoring and toxicity assessments in different natural systems. Green algae, in particular, appear to be more responsive to copper (Cu) disturbances. This ...

Hydrosoluble glycogen is the major energy storage compound in bacteria, archaea, fungi, and animal cells. In contrast, photosynthetic eukaryotes have evolved to build a highly organized semicrystalline granule of starch. ...