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Enhancing Vitamin E in Oilseeds: Unraveling Tocopherol and Tocotrienol Biosynthesis

  • Invited Thematic Review
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Naturally occurring vitamin E, comprised of four forms each of tocopherols and tocotrienols, are synthesized solely by photosynthetic organisms and function primarily as antioxidants. These different forms vary in their biological availability and in their physiological and chemical activities. Tocopherols and tocotrienols play important roles in the oxidative stability of vegetable oils and in the nutritional quality of crop plants for human and livestock diets. The isolation of genes for nearly all the steps in tocopherol and tocotrienol biosynthesis has facilitated efforts to alter metabolic flux through these pathways in plant cells. Herein we review the recent work done in the field, focusing on branch points and metabolic engineering to enhance and alter vitamin E content and composition in oilseed crops.

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Abbreviations

DXP:

1-Deoxy-d-xyulose-5-phosphate

GGDP:

Geranylgeranyldiphosphate

GGR:

Geranylgeranyl reductase

HGA:

Homogentisate

HGGT:

Homogentisate geranylgeranyl transferase

HPP:

p-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate

HPPD:

Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase

HPT:

Homogentisate phytyltransferase

PDP:

Phytyldiphosphate

PK:

Phytol kinase

PMP:

Phytylmonophosphate

PrBQMT:

2-Methyl-6-prenylbenzoquinol methyltransferase

PrDP:

Prenyldiphosphate

SDP:

Solanesyldiphosphate

TC:

Tocopherol/tocotrienol cyclase

TMT:

Tocopherol/tocotrienol methyltransferase

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Acknowledgments

The authors’ work is supported by the National Research Initiative of the USDA Co-operative State Research, Education and Extension Service, grant number 2004-35318-14887.

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  1. United States Department of Agriculture, ARS, Plant Genetics Research Unit, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, Saint Louis, MO, 63132, USA

    Sarah C. Hunter & Edgar B. Cahoon

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  1. Sarah C. Hunter
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  2. Edgar B. Cahoon
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Correspondence to Edgar B. Cahoon.

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Hunter, S.C., Cahoon, E.B. Enhancing Vitamin E in Oilseeds: Unraveling Tocopherol and Tocotrienol Biosynthesis. Lipids 42, 97–108 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-007-3028-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-007-3028-6

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