Generation of transgenic maize with enhanced provitamin A content
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects over 250 million people worldwide and is one of the most prevalent nutritional deficiencies in developing countries, resulting in significant socio-economic losses. Provitamin A carotenoids such as beta-carotene, are derived from plant foods and are a major source...
Veröffentlicht in: | Journal of experimental botany. - 1985. - 59(2008), 13 vom: 15., Seite 3551-62 |
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1. Verfasser: | |
Weitere Verfasser: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Online-Aufsatz |
Sprache: | English |
Veröffentlicht: |
2008
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Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk: | Journal of experimental botany |
Schlagworte: | Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Bacterial Proteins beta Carotene 01YAE03M7J Alkyl and Aryl Transferases EC 2.5.- Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase EC 2.5.1.32 |
Zusammenfassung: | Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects over 250 million people worldwide and is one of the most prevalent nutritional deficiencies in developing countries, resulting in significant socio-economic losses. Provitamin A carotenoids such as beta-carotene, are derived from plant foods and are a major source of vitamin A for the majority of the world's population. Several years of intense research has resulted in the production of 'Golden Rice 2' which contains sufficiently high levels of provitamin A carotenoids to combat VAD. In this report, the focus is on the generation of transgenic maize with enhanced provitamin A content in their kernels. Overexpression of the bacterial genes crtB (for phytoene synthase) and crtI (for the four desaturation steps of the carotenoid pathway catalysed by phytoene desaturase and zeta-carotene desaturase in plants), under the control of a 'super gamma-zein promoter' for endosperm-specific expression, resulted in an increase of total carotenoids of up to 34-fold with a preferential accumulation of beta-carotene in the maize endosperm. The levels attained approach those estimated to have a significant impact on the nutritional status of target populations in developing countries. The high beta-carotene trait was found to be reproducible over at least four generations. Gene expression analyses suggest that increased accumulation of beta-carotene is due to an up-regulation of the endogenous lycopene beta-cylase. These experiments set the stage for the design of transgenic approaches to generate provitamin A-rich maize that will help alleviate VAD |
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Beschreibung: | Date Completed 24.11.2008 Date Revised 20.10.2021 published: Print-Electronic Citation Status MEDLINE |
ISSN: | 1460-2431 |
DOI: | 10.1093/jxb/ern212 |