title: Folate biofortification in food plants.
abstract: Folate deficiency is a global health problem affecting many people in the developing and developed world. Current interventions (industrial food fortification and supplementation by folic acid pills) are effective if they can be used but might not be possible in less developed countries. Recent advances demonstrate that folate biofortification of food crops is now a feasible complementary strategy to fight folate deficiency worldwide. The genes and enzymes of folate synthesis are sufficiently understood to enable metabolic engineering of the pathway, and results from pilot engineering studies in plants (and bacteria) are encouraging. Here, we review the current status of investigations in the field of folate enhancement on the eve of a new era in food fortification.
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors: Samir
authors: S
authors: Bekaert
authors: Sergei
authors: S
authors: Storozhenko
authors: Payam
authors: P
authors: Mehrshahi
authors: Malcolm J
authors: MJ
authors: Bennett
authors: Willy
authors: W
authors: Lambert
authors: Jesse F
authors: JF
authors: Gregory
authors: Karel
authors: K
authors: Schubert
authors: Jeroen
authors: J
authors: Hugenholtz
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Van Der Straeten
authors: Andrew D
authors: AD
authors: Hanson
mesh_terms: D019731:Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006136:GTP Cyclohydrolase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D000637:Transaminases
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D000637:Transaminases; C066599:aminodeoxychorismate synthase; D006136:GTP Cyclohydrolase; D019731:Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases