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Chapter 11 Tocochromanols: Biological Function and Recent Advances to Engineer Plastidial Biochemistry for Enhanced Oil Seed Vitamin E Levels

  • Chapter
The Chloroplast

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 31))

Summary

Tocochromanols (tocopherols and tocotrienols) are important lipophilic antioxidants for animals and humans. Their biological activity is expressed as vitamin E activity. This review describes some recent findings about tocochromanol function and their biosynthesis in plants, summarizes the current state of the art of tocochromanol pathway engineering, and compares different strategies to engineer the vitamin E content in cyanobacteria and plants with a focus on oilseed as target tissues. Limitations in our understanding of the tocochromanol biosynthetic pathway are discussed.

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Abbreviations

ChlP:

chlorophyllase

GGH:

geranylgeranyl-reductase

GGDP:

geranylgeranyl-diphosphate

HGA:

homogentisic acid

HGGT:

homogentisate geranylgeranyltransferase

HPPD:

p-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase

HST:

homogentisate solanelsyltransferase

2M6PBQ:

2-methyl-6-phytylbenzoquinol

2M6SBQ:

2-methyl-6-solanesylbenzoquinol

PDP:

phytoldiphosphate

pHPPA:

p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate

SDP:

solanesyldiphosphate

TyrA:

bifunctional chorismate mutase/prephenate dehydrogenase

VTE1:

tocopherol cyclase

VTE2:

homogentisate phytyltransferase

VTE3:

2-methyl-6-phytylbenzoquinol methyltransferase

VTE4:

γ-tocopherol methyltransferase

WT:

wild type

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  1. Monsanto Co, Calgene Campus, 1920 Fifth Street, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Henry E. Valentin

  2. Monsanto Co, 700 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield, MO, 63017, USA

    Qi Qungang

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Correspondence to Henry E. Valentin .

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  1. Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research, Champaign, USA

    Constantin A. Rebeiz

  2. Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA

    Christoph Benning

  3. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA

    Hans J. Bohnert

  4. Central Florida University, Orlando, USA

    Henry Daniell

  5. Arizona State University, Tempe, USA

    J. Kenneth Hoober

  6. University of Karlsruhe, Germany

    Hartmut K. Lichtenthaler

  7. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA

    Archie R. Portis

  8. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

    Baishnab C. Tripathy

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© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

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Valentin, H.E., Qungang, Q. (2010). Chapter 11 Tocochromanols: Biological Function and Recent Advances to Engineer Plastidial Biochemistry for Enhanced Oil Seed Vitamin E Levels. In: Rebeiz, C.A., et al. The Chloroplast. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 31. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8531-3_11

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