Zinc biofortification of cereals: problems and solutions.
The goal of biofortification is to develop plants that have an increased content of bioavailable nutrients in their edible parts. Cereals serve as the main staple food for a large proportion of the world population but have the shortcoming, from a nutrition perspective, of being low in zinc and other essential nutrients. Major bottlenecks in plant biofortification appear to be the root-shoot barrier and--in cereals--the process of grain filling. New findings demonstrate that the root-shoot distribution of zinc is controlled mainly by heavy metal transporting P1B-ATPases and the metal tolerance protein (MTP) family. A greater understanding of zinc transport is important to improve crop quality and also to help alleviate accumulation of any toxic metals.
Palmgren
Michael G
MG
Centre for Membrane Pumps in Cells and Disease - PUMPKIN, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark. palmgren@life.ku.dk
Clemens
Stephan
S
Williams
Lorraine E
LE
Krämer
Ute
U
Borg
Søren
S
Schjørring
Jan K
JK
Sanders
Dale
D
D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism*; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism*; D052584:Xylem / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
D002104:Cadmium; D015032:Zinc