Engineering the provitamin A (beta-carotene) biosynthetic pathway into (carotenoid-free) rice endosperm.
Rice (Oryza sativa), a major staple food, is usually milled to remove the oil-rich aleurone layer that turns rancid upon storage, especially in tropical areas. The remaining edible part of rice grains, the endosperm, lacks several essential nutrients, such as provitamin A. Thus, predominant rice consumption promotes vitamin A deficiency, a serious public health problem in at least 26 countries, including highly populated areas of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Recombinant DNA technology was used to improve its nutritional value in this respect. A combination of transgenes enabled biosynthesis of provitamin A in the endosperm.
Ye
X
X
Institute for Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland. University of Freiburg, Center for Applied Biosciences, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Al-Babili
S
S
Klöti
A
A
Zhang
J
J
Lucca
P
P
Beyer
P
P
Potrykus
I
I
D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase; D019753:Intramolecular Lyases / Q000235:genetics; D000077276:Lycopene; D012275:Oryza / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D010957:Plasmids; D012639:Seeds / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D019076:Transgenes; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C022398:phytoene dehydrogenase; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase; D019753:Intramolecular Lyases; C070925:lycopene cyclase-isomerase; D000077276:Lycopene