| Abstract Detail
Breeding and Genetics Crowell, Elizabeth [1], Douches, David [1]. Transgenic Approach to Vitamin E in Potato. VITAMIN E (tocopherol) is essential to overall human health but is consumed at suboptimal levels in the United States and worldwide. Accumulating vitamin E in a food staple may have societal value. While the biosynthesis of tocopherols has been extensively studied in leaves and seeds, the pathway has not yet been explored in a below-ground storage organ. A combination of genetic and molecular approaches were used to characterize the regulatory control of tocopherol biosynthesis in potato tubers, and to evaluate the feasibility of metabolic engineering to accumulate increased levels of tocopherols in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Three transgenes were constitutively overexpressed in potato: thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), A. thaliana homogentisate phytyltransferase (HPT), and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) prephenate dehydrogenase (PDH). Tocopherol levels and composition in the transgenic plants were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The relative levels of expression of genes encoding vitamin E biosynthetic enzymes was determined by real-time RT-PCR. Our results indicate a transgenic approach may be feasible to engineer increased tocopherol content in potato leaves and tubers.
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1 - Michigan State University, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, 499B Plan and Soil Sciences Building, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, United States
Keywords:
tocopherols.
Session: PAA08-10
Location: Hall of Ideas Room G/Monona Terrace
Date: Tuesday, July 25th, 2006
Time: 11:15 AM
Abstract ID:143 |
