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Biosynthesis and Regulation of Ascorbic Acid in Plants

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Antioxidants and Antioxidant Enzymes in Higher Plants

Abstract

Ascorbate is the most abundant water-soluble redox compound in plants and has multiple functions as a redox buffer. There is compelling genetic evidence that the biosynthesis of ascorbate proceeds via the d-mannose/l-galactose pathway and is the most significant source of ascorbate in plants. Alternative pathways, including those via d-galacturonate and d-glucuronate, have been proposed but there is no convincing genetic evidence. In order to carry out its physiological functions, cellular ascorbate contents need to be tightly controlled in response to various environmental conditions. In this chapter, we will describe the recent progression on the metabolic process of ascorbate biosynthesis and its regulation.

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Acknowledgements

Work in our laboratories is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan [Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (to TI, TM, KY: 17H03807)].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu, Matsue, Shimane, 690-8504, Japan

    Takahiro Ishikawa & Takanori Maruta

  2. Department of Food and Nutritional Science, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-Cho, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan

    Kazuya Yoshimura

  3. Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Geoffery Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK

    Nicholas Smirnoff

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  1. Takahiro Ishikawa
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  2. Takanori Maruta
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  3. Kazuya Yoshimura
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  4. Nicholas Smirnoff
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Correspondence to Takahiro Ishikawa .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Radioökologie und Strahlenschutz (IRS), Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany

    Dharmendra K. Gupta

  2. Group of Antioxidants, Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain

    José M. Palma

  3. Group of Antioxidants, Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain

    Francisco J. Corpas

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Ishikawa, T., Maruta, T., Yoshimura, K., Smirnoff, N. (2018). Biosynthesis and Regulation of Ascorbic Acid in Plants. In: Gupta, D., Palma, J., Corpas, F. (eds) Antioxidants and Antioxidant Enzymes in Higher Plants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75088-0_8

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