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In silico, in vitro, and in vivo characterization of thiamin-binding proteins from plant seeds

(2025) BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL. 482(04). p.181-195
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Abstract
Thiamin, an essential micronutrient, is a cofactor for enzymes involved in the central carbon metabolism and amino acid pathways. Despite efforts to enhance thiamin content in rice by incorporating thiamin biosynthetic genes, increasing thiamin content in the endosperm remains challenging, possibly due to a lack of thiamin stability and/or a local sink. The introduction of storage proteins has been successful in several biofortification strategies, and similar efforts targeting thiamin have been performed, leading to a 3-4-fold increase in white rice. However, only one thiamin-binding protein (TBP) sequence has been described in plants, more specifically from sesame seeds. Therefore, we aimed to identify and characterize TBPs, as well as to evaluate the effect of their expression on thiamin concentration, using a comprehensive approach integrating in silico, in vitro, and in vivo methods. We identified the sequences of putative TBPs from Oryza sativa (Os, rice), Fagopyrum esculentum (Fe, buckwheat), and Zea mays (Zm, maize) and pinpointed the thiamin-binding pockets through molecular docking. FeTBP and OsTBP contained one pocket with binding affinities similar to the Escherichia coli TBP, a well-characterized TBP, supporting their function as TBPs. In vivo expression studies of TBPs in tobacco leaves and rice callus resulted in increased thiamin levels, with FeTBP and OsTBP showing the most pronounced effects. Additionally, thermal shift assays confirmed the thiamin-binding capabilities of FeTBP and OsTBP, as observed by the significant increases in melting temperatures upon thiamin binding, indicating protein stabilization. These findings offer new insights into the diversity and function of plant TBPs and highlight the potential of FeTBP and OsTBP to modulate thiamin levels in crop plants.
Keywords
YEAST SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE, MULTIPLE SEQUENCE ALIGNMENT, GENE-EXPRESSION, RICE, BIOSYNTHESIS, METABOLISM, RIBOSWITCH, TRANSFORMATION, ACCUMULATION, FUSION

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MLA
Vicente Faustino, Maria, et al. “In Silico, in Vitro, and in Vivo Characterization of Thiamin-Binding Proteins from Plant Seeds.” BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 482, no. 04, 2025, pp. 181–95, doi:10.1042/bcj20240429.
APA
Vicente Faustino, M., Strobbe, S., Sanchez Muñoz, R., Cao, D., Mishra, R., Lourenço, T., … Van Der Straeten, D. (2025). In silico, in vitro, and in vivo characterization of thiamin-binding proteins from plant seeds. BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL, 482(04), 181–195. https://doi.org/10.1042/bcj20240429
Chicago author-date
Vicente Faustino, Maria, Simon Strobbe, Raul Sanchez Muñoz, Da Cao, Ratnesh Mishra, Tiago Lourenço, M. Margarida Oliveira, and Dominique Van Der Straeten. 2025. “In Silico, in Vitro, and in Vivo Characterization of Thiamin-Binding Proteins from Plant Seeds.” BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL 482 (04): 181–95. https://doi.org/10.1042/bcj20240429.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Vicente Faustino, Maria, Simon Strobbe, Raul Sanchez Muñoz, Da Cao, Ratnesh Mishra, Tiago Lourenço, M. Margarida Oliveira, and Dominique Van Der Straeten. 2025. “In Silico, in Vitro, and in Vivo Characterization of Thiamin-Binding Proteins from Plant Seeds.” BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL 482 (04): 181–195. doi:10.1042/bcj20240429.
Vancouver
1.
Vicente Faustino M, Strobbe S, Sanchez Muñoz R, Cao D, Mishra R, Lourenço T, et al. In silico, in vitro, and in vivo characterization of thiamin-binding proteins from plant seeds. BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL. 2025;482(04):181–95.
IEEE
[1]
M. Vicente Faustino et al., “In silico, in vitro, and in vivo characterization of thiamin-binding proteins from plant seeds,” BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 482, no. 04, pp. 181–195, 2025.
@article{01JN3BVEAX3TR2KK1A5AM2QQ20,
  abstract     = {{Thiamin, an essential micronutrient, is a cofactor for enzymes involved in the central carbon metabolism and amino acid pathways. Despite efforts to enhance thiamin content in rice by incorporating thiamin biosynthetic genes, increasing thiamin content in the endosperm remains challenging, possibly due to a lack of thiamin stability and/or a local sink. The introduction of storage proteins has been successful in several biofortification strategies, and similar efforts targeting thiamin have been performed, leading to a 3-4-fold increase in white rice. However, only one thiamin-binding protein (TBP) sequence has been described in plants, more specifically from sesame seeds. Therefore, we aimed to identify and characterize TBPs, as well as to evaluate the effect of their expression on thiamin concentration, using a comprehensive approach integrating in silico, in vitro, and in vivo methods. We identified the sequences of putative TBPs from Oryza sativa (Os, rice), Fagopyrum esculentum (Fe, buckwheat), and Zea mays (Zm, maize) and pinpointed the thiamin-binding pockets through molecular docking. FeTBP and OsTBP contained one pocket with binding affinities similar to the Escherichia coli TBP, a well-characterized TBP, supporting their function as TBPs. In vivo expression studies of TBPs in tobacco leaves and rice callus resulted in increased thiamin levels, with FeTBP and OsTBP showing the most pronounced effects. Additionally, thermal shift assays confirmed the thiamin-binding capabilities of FeTBP and OsTBP, as observed by the significant increases in melting temperatures upon thiamin binding, indicating protein stabilization. These findings offer new insights into the diversity and function of plant TBPs and highlight the potential of FeTBP and OsTBP to modulate thiamin levels in crop plants.}},
  author       = {{Vicente Faustino, Maria and Strobbe, Simon and Sanchez Muñoz, Raul and Cao, Da and Mishra, Ratnesh and Lourenço, Tiago and Oliveira, M. Margarida and Van Der Straeten, Dominique}},
  issn         = {{0264-6021}},
  journal      = {{BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL}},
  keywords     = {{YEAST SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE,MULTIPLE SEQUENCE ALIGNMENT,GENE-EXPRESSION,RICE,BIOSYNTHESIS,METABOLISM,RIBOSWITCH,TRANSFORMATION,ACCUMULATION,FUSION}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{04}},
  pages        = {{181--195}},
  title        = {{In silico, in vitro, and in vivo characterization of thiamin-binding proteins from plant seeds}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1042/bcj20240429}},
  volume       = {{482}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}

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