Abstract
Iron deficiency is the most widespread micronutrient deficiency world-wide. A major cause is the poor absorption of iron from cereal and legume-based diets high in phytic acid. We have explored three approaches for increasing the amount of iron absorbed from rice-based meals. We first introduced a ferritin gene from Phaseolus vulgaris into rice grains, increasing their iron content up to two-fold. To increase iron bioavailability, we introduced a thermotolerant phytase from Aspergillus fumigatus into the rice endosperm. In addition, as cysteine peptides are considered a major enhancer of iron absorption, we overexpressed the endogenous cysteine-rich metallothionein-like protein. The content of cysteine residues increased about seven-fold and the phytase level in the grains about 130-fold, giving a phytase activity sufficient to completely degrade phytic acid in a simulated digestion experiment. High phytase rice, with an increased iron content and rich in cysteine-peptide, has the potential to greatly improve iron nutrition in rice-eating populations.
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Received: 15 April 2000 / Accepted: 12 May 2000
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Lucca, P., Hurrell, R. & Potrykus, I. Genetic engineering approaches to improve the bioavailability and the level of iron in rice grains. Theor Appl Genet 102, 392–397 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001220051659
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001220051659