title: Rationalising vitamin B6biofortification in crop plants.
abstract: Vitamin B6encompasses a group of related compounds (vitamers) that can only be biosynthesised de novo by plants and microorganisms. Enzymatic cofactor and antioxidant functions for vitamin B6are established in all kingdoms. Human vitamin B6dietary insufficiency or genetic defects in B6vitamer interconversion result in various neurological and inflammatory pathologies with several populations at-risk or marginal for vitamin B6status. Three (rice, wheat and cassava) of the world's top five staple crops do not meet the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin B6, when consumed as a major proportion of the diet. In addition, controlled enhancement of the appropriate B6vitamer in crops has the potential to confer stress resistance. Thus, crop biofortification strategies represent an opportunity to reduce the risk of deficiency in populations with limited diet diversity and quality, as well as improving stress tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jared
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fudge
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mangel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gruissem
authors.affiliation: Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vanderschuren
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: teresa.fitzpatrick@unige.ch.
authors.forename: Teresa B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D000072759:Biofortification; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D006801:Humans; D025101:Vitamin B 6
chemical_list: D025101:Vitamin B 6