Plant Proteins Structural Analysis

Studying plant protein structure is essential for understanding plant biology, improving crop quality, and promoting agricultural production. However, the study of amino acid sequences and three-dimensional structures of plant proteins has lagged far behind that of proteins from other sources. In 1969, only six complete plant protein sequences had been established, compared to more than 230 complete plant protein sequences from other sources. By 1979, 107 complete sequences had been obtained from 28 plant proteins. Despite these sequence data, little information is available on the mechanism of action of most of these proteins, and their three-dimensional structures are needed for further studies. The main reasons why little is known about the structure of plant proteins may be due to their inherently low yields and specific difficulties in their preparation.

Fig. 1. Structure of plant proteins (a) and interaction of off-flavors with plant proteins (b). (Saffarionpour et al., 2023)

Our Solutions

In terms of the protein molecule, a protein is a peptide chain consisting of individual amino acids linked together (primary structure), the peptide chain forming a helix or fold (secondary structure), further winding to form motifs (tertiary structure), and a variety of motifs grouped in a certain pattern (quaternary structure). Lifeasible provides specialized solutions for the structural analysis of plant proteins. We aim to utilize the power of plant proteins to guide innovation in agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals, and other fields.

• Determination of Plant Protein Primary Structure

The primary structure of proteins is the basis for their biological function. Lifeasible offers a variety of techniques to determine the primary structure of plant proteins, mainly including the determination of the number of polypeptide chains, the type, number, and arrangement of amino acids in each polypeptide chain, and the position and number of disulfide bonds within or between polypeptide chains. Our mass spectrometry technology is widely used for protein primary structure determination, including molecular weight detection, amino acid composition analysis, peptide sequence analysis, and disulfide bond localization.

• Determination of Secondary Structure of Plant Proteins

The secondary structure of plant proteins is dominated by β-folding. Lifeasible provides circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-ray crystallography to analyze the secondary structure of plant proteins, which can provide vital information for the study of biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of plant proteins.

Methods for Plant Proteins Structure Analysis 

Applications of Plant Protein Structure Analysis

• Biological function elucidation: By studying the structure of plant proteins, we can help you unravel the mechanisms of protein action in processes such as plant growth, development, and response to adversity. This helps to deeply understand plant biology principles and provides a basis for further biological research.
• Gene function research: By analyzing the structure of plant proteins, we can help you predict the effects of gene mutations on protein structure and function and thus speculate on gene function.
• Molecular Breeding and Crop Improvement: By studying plant protein structure, we can help you reveal the molecular basis of traits such as crop quality, resistance, and yield. This helps guide molecular breeding and crop improvement efforts to improve agricultural productivity and crop quality.
• Biotechnology applications: The study of plant protein structure helps discover new biotechnology targets, such as developing novel biopesticides and plant growth regulators. In addition, by modifying plant protein structure, new functional proteins can be developed, or the functions of existing proteins can be improved.
• Drug discovery and design: The study of plant protein structure can provide the basis for drug discovery and design. By analyzing the structure of plant proteins, it is possible to discover natural products with potential drug activity or to design small molecule drugs against specific targets.

Through an integrated experimental and computational approach, Lifeasible provides practical solutions based on cutting-edge science for the structural analysis of plant proteins. Please contact us for the best structural analysis solutions for plant proteins.