Carbohydrates

Plants use solar energy to assimilate CO₂ into carbohydrates, which is mainly in the form of sucrose. Sucrose is subsequently translocated from leaves and other photosynthetic organs through the phloem to nonphotosynthetic organs such as developing seeds, fruits, roots, and immature leaves, where the sucrose and sugars derived from it support and regulate growth and development. Sucrose can be metabolized through a series of biochemical reactions to form hexoses, pentoses, and/or nucleotide sugars for diverse cellular uses, including cell wall and starch biosynthesis, energy metabolism, and signaling. Here we highlight recent advances in sucrose catabolism and cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis, and focus on how these aspects of carbohydrate metabolism can be genetically modified to enhance crop yield, stress tolerance, and industry applications such as biofuel production, malting and brewing, and human health.