Nucleotide-sugar metabolism in plants: the legacy of Luis F. Leloir

Abstract This review commemorates the 50th anniversary of Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Luis F. Leloir ‘for his discovery sugar-nucleotides and their role biosynthesis carbohydrates’. He co-workers discovered that activated forms simple sugars, such as UDP-glucose UDP-galactose, are essential intermediates interconversion sugars. They elucidated biosynthetic pathways for sucrose starch, which major end-products photosynthesis, trehalose. Trehalose 6-phosphate, intermediate trehalose they discovered, is now a molecule great interest due its function sugar signalling metabolite regulates many aspects plant metabolism development. The work group also opened doors an understanding cellulose other structural cell wall polysaccharides (hemicelluloses pectins), ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Nucleotide-sugars serve donors myriad glycosyltransferases conjugate sugars molecules, including lipids, phytohormones, secondary metabolites, proteins, thereby modifying biological activity. In this review, we highlight diversity nucleotide-sugars functions plants, recognition Leloir’s rich enduring legacy science.