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Increased α-tocopherol content in soybean seed overexpressing the Perilla frutescens γ-tocopherol methyltransferase gene

  • Genetic Transformation and Hybridization
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Abstract

Tocopherols, with antioxidant properties, are synthesized by photosynthetic organisms and play important roles in human and animal nutrition. In soybean, γ-tocopherol, the biosynthetic precursor to α-tocopherol, is the predominant form found in the seed, whereas α-tocopherol is the most bioactive component. This suggests that the final step of the α-tocopherol biosynthetic pathway catalyzed by γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) is limiting in soybean seed. Soybean oil is the major edible vegetable oil consumed, so manipulating the tocopherol biosynthetic pathway in soybean seed to convert tocopherols into more active α-tocopherol form could have significant health benefits. In order to increase the soybean seed α-tocopherol content, the γ-TMT gene isolated from Perilla frutescens was overexpressed in soybean using a seed-specific promoter. One transgenic plant was recovered and the progeny was analyzed for two generations. Our results demonstrated that the seed-specific expression of the P. frutescens γ-TMT gene resulted in a 10.4-fold increase in the α-tocopherol content and a 14.9-fold increase in the β-tocopherol content in T2 seed. Given the relative contributions of different tocopherols to vitamin E activity, the activity in T2 seed was calculated to be 4.8-fold higher than in wild-type seed. In addition, the data obtained on lipid peroxidation indicates that α-tocopherol may have a role in preventing oxidative damage to lipid components during seed storage and seed germination. The increase in the α-tocopherol content in the soybean seed could have a potential to significantly increase the dietary intake of vitamin E.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Kay McAllister for her technical assistance in soybean tissue culture and generation of transgenic plants. We also thank Jeanne Prather, Whitney Waters and Ray Stevens for technical and greenhouse support; Dr. Jack Widholm, University of Illinois, and Dr. Baochun Li, University of Kentucky, for manuscript review. This research is supported by funds provided by the United Soybean Board and Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board. This paper (no. 06-06-057) is published with the approval of the Director of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, 1405 Veterans Road, Lexington, KY, 40546-0312, USA

    Venkata S. Tavva & Glenn B. Collins

  2. Crop Environment and Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Crop Science, 209 Seodun-Dong, Suwon, 441-857, South Korea

    Yul-Ho Kim

  3. USDA-ARS Forage-Animal Production Research Unit, 1100 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY, 40546-0091, USA

    Isabelle A. Kagan & Randy D. Dinkins

  4. National Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-707, South Korea

    Kyung-Hwan Kim

Authors
  1. Venkata S. Tavva
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  2. Yul-Ho Kim
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  3. Isabelle A. Kagan
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  4. Randy D. Dinkins
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  5. Kyung-Hwan Kim
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  6. Glenn B. Collins
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Correspondence to Glenn B. Collins.

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Communicated by G. C. Phillips

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Tavva, V.S., Kim, YH., Kagan, I.A. et al. Increased α-tocopherol content in soybean seed overexpressing the Perilla frutescens γ-tocopherol methyltransferase gene. Plant Cell Rep 26, 61–70 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0218-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0218-2

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