PubMed · 2026-05-11
Scientists mapped where proteins and metabolites are located inside oat grains, identifying roughly 3,700 proteins across the bran, endosperm, and embryo. This spatial blueprint reveals which parts of the grain handle energy, protein storage, and stress defense — knowledge that could guide efforts to breed more nutritious or resilient oats.
MALDI mass spectrometry imaging successfully mapped metabolite distributions across three distinct oat grain compartments: bran, endosperm, and embryo.
Proteomic analysis detected approximately 3,700 proteins across all tissue types, with each compartment showing a specialized functional profile.
The embryo is enriched for energy generation, protein synthesis, and stress-resilience proteins, while the endosperm is dominated by nutrient storage proteins.
