Recent Advances in our Understanding of Tocopherol Biosynthesis in Plants: An Overview of Key Genes, Functions, and Breeding of Vitamin E Improved Crops

doi:10.3390/antiox6040099

Review

. 2017 Dec 1;6(4):99.

doi: 10.3390/antiox6040099.

Recent Advances in our Understanding of Tocopherol Biosynthesis in Plants: An Overview of Key Genes, Functions, and Breeding of Vitamin E Improved Crops

Steffi Fritsche¹, Xingxing Wang^{2

3}, Christian Jung⁴

Affiliations

¹ Plant Breeding Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany. [email protected].
² Plant Breeding Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany. [email protected].
³ Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China. [email protected].
⁴ Plant Breeding Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany. [email protected].

PMID: 29194404
PMCID: PMC5745509
DOI: 10.3390/antiox6040099

Review

Recent Advances in our Understanding of Tocopherol Biosynthesis in Plants: An Overview of Key Genes, Functions, and Breeding of Vitamin E Improved Crops

Steffi Fritsche et al. Antioxidants (Basel). 2017.

. 2017 Dec 1;6(4):99.

doi: 10.3390/antiox6040099.

Authors

Steffi Fritsche¹, Xingxing Wang^{2

3}, Christian Jung⁴

Affiliations

¹ Plant Breeding Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany. [email protected].
² Plant Breeding Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany. [email protected].
³ Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China. [email protected].
⁴ Plant Breeding Institute, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany. [email protected].

PMID: 29194404
PMCID: PMC5745509
DOI: 10.3390/antiox6040099

Abstract

Tocopherols, together with tocotrienols and plastochromanols belong to a group of lipophilic compounds also called tocochromanols or vitamin E. Considered to be one of the most powerful antioxidants, tocochromanols are solely synthesized by photosynthetic organisms including plants, algae, and cyanobacteria and, therefore, are an essential component in the human diet. Tocochromanols potent antioxidative properties are due to their ability to interact with polyunsaturated acyl groups and scavenge lipid peroxyl radicals and quench reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus protecting fatty acids from lipid peroxidation. In the plant model species Arabidopsis thaliana, the required genes for tocopherol biosynthesis and functional roles of tocopherols were elucidated in mutant and transgenic plants. Recent research efforts have led to new outcomes for the vitamin E biosynthetic and related pathways, and new possible alternatives for the biofortification of important crops have been suggested. Here, we review 30 years of research on tocopherols in model and crop species, with emphasis on the improvement of vitamin E content using transgenic approaches and classical breeding. We will discuss future prospects to further improve the nutritional value of our food.

Keywords: antioxidant; biofortification; crop breeding; tocopherol; vitamin E.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Simplified model of the tocopherol biosynthesis pathway in *A. thaliana* (highlighted branch of the pathway). Compound names are given in the boxes and gene names are indicated in italic. The circled numbers refer to the biosynthesis steps described in detail in Table 1. Adapted from [15]. *HGGT*: homogentisic acid geranylgeranyl transferase; *HST*: homogentisic acid solanesyl transferase; GGDP: geranylgeranyl diphosphate; MGGBQ: 2-methyl-6-geranylgeranyl-1,4-benzoquinol; PC-8: plastochromanol-8; SPP: solanesyl pyrophosphate.

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References

1. DellaPenna D., Pogson B.J. Vitamin synthesis in plants: Tocopherols and carotenoids. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 2006;57:711–738. doi: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.56.032604.144301. - DOI - PubMed
1. Grusak M.A., DellaPenna D. Improving the nutrient composition of plants to enhance human nutrition and health. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 1999;50:133–161. doi: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.133. - DOI - PubMed
1. Munné-Bosch S., Alegre L. The function of tocopherols and tocotrienols in plants. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 2002;21:31–57. doi: 10.1080/0735-260291044179. - DOI
1. DellaPenna D., Last R.L. Progress in the dissection and manipulation of plant vitamin E biosynthesis. Physiol. Plant. 2006;126:356–368. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00611.x. - DOI
1. DellaPenna D. A decade of progress in understanding vitamin E synthesis in plants. J. Plant Physiol. 2005;162:729–737. doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2005.04.004. - DOI - PubMed

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[1] DellaPenna D., Pogson B.J. Vitamin synthesis in plants: Tocopherols and carotenoids. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 2006;57:711–738. doi: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.56.032604.144301. - DOI - PubMed

[2] DellaPenna D., Pogson B.J. Vitamin synthesis in plants: Tocopherols and carotenoids. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 2006;57:711–738. doi: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.56.032604.144301. - DOI - PubMed

[3] Grusak M.A., DellaPenna D. Improving the nutrient composition of plants to enhance human nutrition and health. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 1999;50:133–161. doi: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.133. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Grusak M.A., DellaPenna D. Improving the nutrient composition of plants to enhance human nutrition and health. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 1999;50:133–161. doi: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.133. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Munné-Bosch S., Alegre L. The function of tocopherols and tocotrienols in plants. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 2002;21:31–57. doi: 10.1080/0735-260291044179. - DOI

[6] Munné-Bosch S., Alegre L. The function of tocopherols and tocotrienols in plants. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 2002;21:31–57. doi: 10.1080/0735-260291044179. - DOI

[7] DellaPenna D., Last R.L. Progress in the dissection and manipulation of plant vitamin E biosynthesis. Physiol. Plant. 2006;126:356–368. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00611.x. - DOI

[8] DellaPenna D., Last R.L. Progress in the dissection and manipulation of plant vitamin E biosynthesis. Physiol. Plant. 2006;126:356–368. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00611.x. - DOI

[9] DellaPenna D. A decade of progress in understanding vitamin E synthesis in plants. J. Plant Physiol. 2005;162:729–737. doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2005.04.004. - DOI - PubMed

[10] DellaPenna D. A decade of progress in understanding vitamin E synthesis in plants. J. Plant Physiol. 2005;162:729–737. doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2005.04.004. - DOI - PubMed

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Recent Advances in our Understanding of Tocopherol Biosynthesis in Plants: An Overview of Key Genes, Functions, and Breeding of Vitamin E Improved Crops

Affiliations

Recent Advances in our Understanding of Tocopherol Biosynthesis in Plants: An Overview of Key Genes, Functions, and Breeding of Vitamin E Improved Crops

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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