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The antioxidant properties of plant flavonoids: their exploitation by molecular plant breeding

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Abstract

Flavonoids are a large group of plant secondary metabolites that have a high popularity as nutraceuticals. Further, they contribute to food quality, acting as preservatives, pigments and strong antioxidants. Flavonoids also play an important role in plant stress tolerance, with consequent contribution to crop productivity. The enhancement of flavonoid content is an alluring goal that meets the food requirements of an increasing and more demanding world population. After illustrating the relevance of flavonoids for human nutrition, food technology and plant protection, this review covers breeding and molecular strategies used to exploit flavonoid biodiversity present among plant species. Highlighted here are also recent advances in genome sequencing and -omics tools that facilitate the identification of genetic regions influencing flavonoid production in relevant agricultural species. Finally, the review outlines established and new biotechnological techniques which can help to functionalize and use flavonoid genes to improve both the quality and the quantity of these outstanding compounds. The final message of this review is that flavonoids can be an interesting target for molecular plant breeding that can greatly impact both primary agricultural products and food technology.

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Abbreviations

bHLH:

Basic helix-loop-helix

bZIP:

Basic leucine zipper

4CL:

4-Coumarate:CoaLigase

CBF1:

C-repeat/DRE binding factor 1

CRISPR/Cas9:

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein-9 nuclease

DFR:

Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase

F3′H:

Flavonoid 3′ hydroxylase

F3′5′H:

Flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase

GWAS:

Genome wide association studies

LNK:

Night light-inducible and clock-regulated genes

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

NAC:

Non apical meristem

NADPH:

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate

PAP1:

Production of anthocyanin pigment 1

QTL:

Quantitative trait loci

RD29a:

Responsive to dehydration 29a

RONS:

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SNP:

Single nucleotide polymorphisms

TALENs:

Transcription activator-like effector nucleases

TF:

Transcription factor

VIGS:

Virus induced gene silencing

ZFNs:

Zinc finger nucleases

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  1. Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, Portici, 80055, Italy

    Vincenzo D’Amelia, Riccardo Aversano, Pasquale Chiaiese & Domenico Carputo

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  1. Vincenzo D’Amelia
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  2. Riccardo Aversano
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  3. Pasquale Chiaiese
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  4. Domenico Carputo
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Correspondence to Domenico Carputo.

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D’Amelia, V., Aversano, R., Chiaiese, P. et al. The antioxidant properties of plant flavonoids: their exploitation by molecular plant breeding. Phytochem Rev 17, 611–625 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-018-9568-y

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