Time-resolved element mapping and characterization of storage proteins during soybean seeds development: a bottom-up strategy to increase protein content and quality

• Grant number: 20/07721-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: November 01, 2020
• End date: April 17, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Francisco Scaglia Linhares
• Grantee: Gabriel Sgarbiero Montanha
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/09543-9 - Molecular characterisation of storage proteins biosynthesis in soybean seeds: assessing the effects of mineral nutrition on protein content and quality, BE.EP.DD

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is one of the most important crops worldwide, responsible for a significative fraction of the Brazilian gross development product and standing out as a source of protein meal and vegetal oil for humans and animals. In this scenario, most of the proteins in soybean seeds are stowed for nitrogen supply during germination and early seedling development processes. These storage proteins are composed of two main fractions, the legumin (glycinin) and vicilin (²-conglycinin), which are deficient on sulfur-amino acids, including the methionine, an essential amino acid for humans and animals. Since this scarcity is related to the relative abundance of ²-peptide, a subunit of ²-conglycinin (vicilin), increasing the legumin content might increase methionine content on soybean storage proteins, increasing its quality and the nutritional status of soybean seeds. In this scenario, zinc, a vital micronutrient for plants, is reported to have strong binding sites on glycinin and acts as co-factor of methionine synthase. As the methionine biosynthesis takes place during the soybean seed filling, topping up time and tissue-specific Zn application might enhance it. However, little is known regarding the influences of Zn on soybean seed development and protein content. Herein, we hypothesize that understanding and controlling the dynamics of this mineral nutrient has the potential to enhance the nutritional quality of storage proteins on soybean seeds. (AU)

Scientific publications

(13)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; MENDES, NANDHARA ANGELICA CARVALHO; PEREZ, LUCAS COAN; CUNHA, MATHEUS LUIS OLIVEIRA; SANTOS, EDUARDO; PEREZ, CARLOS ALBERTO; DE ALMEIDA, EDUARDO; MARQUES, JOAO PAULO RODRIGUES; UMBURANAS, RENAN CALDAS; LINHARES, FRANCISCO SCAGLIA; et al. Unfolding the Dynamics of Mineral Nutrients and Major Storage Protein Fractions during Soybean Seed Development. ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, v. 3, n. 8, p. 9-pg., 2023-07-21. (20/11546-8, 20/07721-9)

MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; DIAS, MARCOS ALTOMANI NEVES; CORREA, CAMILA GRAZIELE; PEREIRA DE CARVALHO, HUDSON WALLACE. Unfolding the Fate and Effects of Micronutrients Supplied to Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) and Maize (Zea mays L.) Through Seed Treatment. JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION, v. 21, n. 4, SEP 2021. (15/19121-8, 20/07721-9)

ROMEU, SARA LUIZA ZACHI; MARQUES, JOAO PAULO RODRIGUES; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; DE CARVALHO, HUDSON WALLACE PEREIRA; PEREIRA, FABIOLA MANHAS VERBI. Chemometrics unraveling nutrient dynamics during soybean seed germination. Microchemical Journal, v. 164, MAY 2021. (15/19121-8, 14/50945-4, 20/07721-9, 19/01102-8)

FICO, BRUNO A.; ANDRADA, HEBER E.; ALVES, FELIPE B.; DA SILVA, ENZO E.; REINALDI, JULIA S.; TAVARES, DENISE C.; SQUARISI, IARA S.; NUEVO, LAURA G.; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; DE CARVALHO, HUDSON W. P.; et al. Amine-Polyether-Epoxide Nanoplatform-Driven Seed Germination, Plant Growth, and Nutrient Uptake for Sustainable Agriculture. ACS OMEGA, v. 10, n. 12, p. 14-pg., 2025-03-20. (21/06552-1, 22/13408-7, 21/14619-9, 22/06507-9, 20/07721-9)

MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; ZACHI ROMEU, SARA LUIZA; RODRIGUES MARQUES, JOAO PAULO; ROHR, LIVIA ARAUJO; DE ALMEIDA, EDUARDO; DOS REIS, ANDRE RODRIGUES; LINHARES, FRANCISCO SCAGLIA; SABATINI, SABRINA; PEREIRA DE CARVALHO, HUDSON WALLACE. Microprobe-XRF Assessment of Nutrient Distribution in Soybean, Cowpea, and Kidney Bean Seeds: A Fabaceae Family Case Study. ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, v. 2, n. 6, p. 7-pg., 2022-12-05. (20/07721-9, 19/17967-8, 15/19121-8)

MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; PEREZ, LUCAS COAN; BRANDAO, JULIA ROSSATTO; DE CAMARGO, RACHEL FERRAZ; TAVARES, TIAGO RODRIGUES; DE ALMEIDA, EDUARDO; DE CARVALHO, HUDSON WALLACE PEREIRA. Profile of mineral nutrients and proteins in soybean seeds ( Glycine max (L.) Merrill): Insights from 95 varieties cultivated in Brazil. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, v. 134, p. 7-pg., 2024-07-25. (20/07721-9, 23/09543-9, 20/16670-9)

SANTOS, E.; MONTANHA, G. S.; GOMES, M. H. F.; DURAN, N. M.; CORREA, C. G.; ROMEU, S. L. Z.; PEREIRA, A. E. S.; OLIVEIRA, J. L.; ALMEIDA, E.; PEREZ-DE-LUQUE, A.; et al. Are nanomaterials leading to more efficient agriculture? Outputs from 2009 to 2022 research metadata analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, v. 9, n. 10, p. 14-pg., 2022-08-19. (20/11178-9, 17/16375-4, 16/50014-6, 17/21004-5, 20/11546-8, 20/07721-9)

ASHRAF, NERMEEN; RODRIGUES, EDUARDO SANTOS; DE ALMEIDA, EDUARDO; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; ABREU-JUNIOR, CASSIO HAMILTON; VITOVA, MILADA; GARCIA, RAFAEL HENRIQUE LAZZARI; KUPPER, HENDRIK; DE CARVALHO, HUDSON WALLACE PEREIRA. Identification of potential plant species hyperaccumulating light rare earth elements (LREE) in a mining area in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 29, n. 60, p. 12-pg., 2022-07-25. (17/16375-4, 20/11546-8, 20/07721-9)

ALVES, FELIPE B.; GONI, ADELA S. M.; FICO, BRUNO A.; SILVA, VANESSA S. A.; ORENHA, RENATO P.; PARREIRA, RENATO L. T.; ANDRADA, HEBER E.; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; DA SILVA, HIGOR J. F. A.; DE ALMEIDA, EDUARDO; et al. Nano-Enabled Seed Treatment Using Bisepoxide-Polyoxypropylenetriamine Polymeric Gel with Different Embedded Zinc Sources. GELS, v. 11, n. 3, p. 19-pg., 2025-02-26. (21/06552-1, 22/13408-7, 21/14619-9, 24/01903-9, 18/03793-5, 23/09543-9, 24/11041-4, 22/06507-9, 20/07721-9)

MACEDO, FERNANDO GIOVANNETTI; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; PEREIRA DE CARVALHO, HUDSON WALLACE; DE MELO, WANDERLEY JOSE. Nickel Influences Urease Activity and Calcium Distribution in Tomato Fruits. ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, v. 1, n. 1, p. 6-pg., 2021-02-19. (20/07721-9, 15/23927-8, 15/19121-8)

ANDRADA, HEBER E.; FICO, BRUNO A.; ALVES, FELIPE B.; PAULINO, JULIA M.; SILVEIRA, NATALIA N.; DOS SANTOS, RAQUEL A.; MONTANHA, GABRIEL S.; NUEVO, LAURA G.; DE CARVALHO, HUDSON W. P.; MOLINA, EDUARDO F.. Multifunctional polyetheramine-epoxide gels and their prospective applications in health and agriculture. NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, v. 48, n. 2, p. 9-pg., 2023-12-04. (21/06552-1, 20/07721-9, 22/06507-9, 21/14619-9)

ALVES, FELIPE B.; ANDRADA, HEBER E.; FICO, BRUNO A.; REINALDI, JULIA S.; TAVARES, DENISE C.; SQUARISI, IARA S.; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; NUEVO, LAURA G.; DE CARVALHO, HUDSON W. P.; PEREZ, CARLOS A.; et al. Facilitating Seed Iron Uptake through Amine-Epoxide Microgels: A Novel Approach to Enhance Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Germination. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, v. 72, n. 26, p. 11-pg., 2024-06-18. (22/13408-7, 22/06507-9, 21/14619-9, 21/06552-1, 20/07721-9)

SANTOS, EDUARDO; GOZETTO, JONATHA DEMETRIO; DE ALMEIDA, EDUARDO; BRASIL, MARCOS AUGUSTO STOLF; DA SILVA, NICOLAS GUSTAVO DA CRUZ; REZENDE, VINICIUS PIRES; DA SILVA, HIGOR JOSE FREITAS ALVES; BRANDAO, JULIA ROSATTO; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; LAVRES, JOSE; et al. An In-House X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Development for In Vivo Analysis of Plants. ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, v. 4, n. 4, p. 7-pg., 2024-04-01. (20/07721-9, 20/11546-8, 15/19121-8, 22/10718-5)