Engineered plants with elevated vitamin E: a nutraceutical success story.
Vitamin E has been touted as a panacea for age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease and, thus, the demand for this nutraceutical has increased dramatically in recent years. This demand has, in turn, driven research to increase vitamin E production from plant sources. We have summarized the cumulative work of several groups in this area, describing the current status of efforts to bioengineer plants for elevated vitamin E content.
Ajjawi
Imad
I
Department of Biochemistry MS200, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
Shintani
David
D
D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D024508:Tocotrienols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism*
D000975:Antioxidants; D004798:Enzymes; D024508:Tocotrienols; D014810:Vitamin E; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D024505:Tocopherols