The biosynthesis and nutritional uses of carotenoids.
TL;DR: The aim of this article is to review the current understanding of carotenoid formation, to explain the perceived benefits ofcarotenoids in the diet and review the efforts that have been made to increase carotanoids in certain crop plants.
About: This article is published in Progress in Lipid Research.The article was published on 2004-05-01. It has received 1235 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Carotenoid.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: Identification of ABA metabolic genes has revealed that multiple metabolic steps are differentially regulated to fine-tune the ABA level at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.
Abstract: The level of abscisic acid (ABAabscisic acid) in any particular tissue in a plant is determined by the rate of biosynthesis and catabolism of the hormone. Therefore, identifying all the genes involved in the metabolism is essential for a complete understanding of how this hormone directs plant growth and development. To date, almost all the biosynthetic genes have been identified through the isolation of auxotrophic mutants. On the other hand, among several ABA catabolic pathways, current genomic approaches revealed that Arabidopsis CYP707A genes encode ABA 8′-hydroxylases, which catalyze the first committed step in the predominant ABA catabolic pathway. Identification of ABA metabolic genes has revealed that multiple metabolic steps are differentially regulated to fine-tune the ABA level at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Furthermore, recent ongoing studies have given new insights into the regulation and site of ABA metabolism in relation to its physiological roles.
1,890 citations
Cites background from "The biosynthesis and nutritional us..."
...Several recent reviews described the upstream of ABA biosynthesis, particularly MEP and carotenoid pathways (24, 28, 89)....
[...]
...mologous gene could be found in the Arabidopsis genome that contains a unique LCYB gene (28)....
[...]
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review aspects of soil science, plant physiology and genetics underpinning crop bio-fortification strategies, as well as agronomic and genetic approaches currently taken to biofortify food crops with the mineral elements most commonly lacking in human diets: iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iodine (I) and selenium (Se).
Abstract: Summary
The diets of over two-thirds of the world's population lack one or more essential mineral elements. This can be remedied through dietary diversification, mineral supplementation, food fortification, or increasing the concentrations and/or bioavailability of mineral elements in produce (biofortification). This article reviews aspects of soil science, plant physiology and genetics underpinning crop biofortification strategies, as well as agronomic and genetic approaches currently taken to biofortify food crops with the mineral elements most commonly lacking in human diets: iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iodine (I) and selenium (Se). Two complementary approaches have been successfully adopted to increase the concentrations of bioavailable mineral elements in food crops. First, agronomic approaches optimizing the application of mineral fertilizers and/or improving the solubilization and mobilization of mineral elements in the soil have been implemented. Secondly, crops have been developed with: increased abilities to acquire mineral elements and accumulate them in edible tissues; increased concentrations of ‘promoter’ substances, such as ascorbate, β-carotene and cysteine-rich polypeptides which stimulate the absorption of essential mineral elements by the gut; and reduced concentrations of ‘antinutrients’, such as oxalate, polyphenolics or phytate, which interfere with their absorption. These approaches are addressing mineral malnutrition in humans globally.
1,677 citations
TL;DR: The focus of this review is to examine the biosynthesis, regulation, and contribution to flower coloration of these three groups of pigments.
Abstract: Three major groups of pigments, the betalains, the carotenoids, and the anthocyanins, are responsible for the attractive natural display of flower colors. Because of the broad distribution of anthocyanins (synthesized as part of the flavonoid pathway) among the flowering plants, their biosynthesis and regulation are best understood. However, over the past few years, significant progress has been made in understanding the synthesis and participation of carotenoids (derived from isoprenoids) and betalains (derived from tyrosine) in flower pigmentation. These three families of pigments play important ecological functions, for example in the attraction of pollinating animals. Anthocyanins in particular have also been the target of numerous biotechnological efforts with the objective of creating new, or altering the properties of existing, coloring compounds. The focus of this review is to examine the biosynthesis, regulation, and contribution to flower coloration of these three groups of pigments.
1,198 citations
TL;DR: Substantial progress has been made in the understanding of retinoid metabolism and function, and central aspects of vitamin A absorption, enzymatic oxidation of all-trans retinol to all-Trans retinal and all- trans retinoic acid, and esterification ofall-trans Retinol have been clarified.
Abstract: Retinoids (vitamin A) are crucial for most forms of life. In chordates, they have important roles in the developing nervous system and notochord and many other embryonic structures, as well as in maintenance of epithelial surfaces, immune competence, and reproduction. The ability of all-trans retinoic acid to regulate expression of several hundred genes through binding to nuclear transcription factors is believed to mediate most of these functions. The role of all-trans retinoic may extend beyond the regulation of gene transcription because a large number of noncoding RNAs also are regulated by retinoic acid. Additionally, extra-nuclear mechanisms of action of retinoids are also being identified. In organisms ranging from prokaryotes to humans, retinal is covalently linked to G protein-coupled transmembrane receptors called opsins. These receptors function as light-driven ion pumps, mediators of phototaxis, or photosensory pigments. In vertebrates phototransduction is initiated by a photochemical reaction where opsin-bound 11-cis-retinal is isomerized to all-trans-retinal. The photosensitive receptor is restored via the retinoid visual cycle. Multiple genes encoding components of this cycle have been identified and linked to many human retinal diseases. Central aspects of vitamin A absorption, enzymatic oxidation of all-trans retinol to all-trans retinal and all-trans retinoic acid, and esterification of all-trans retinol have been clarified. Furthermore, specific binding proteins are involved in several of these enzymatic processes as well as in delivery of all-trans retinoic acid to nuclear receptors. Thus, substantial progress has been made in our understanding of retinoid metabolism and function. This insight has improved our view of retinoids as critical molecules in vision, normal embryonic development, and in control of cellular growth, differentiation, and death throughout life.
860 citations
TL;DR: In this review, current knowledge of the genes and enzymes involved in carotenoid metabolism are summarized and recent progress in understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying carOTenoid accumulation is described.
779 citations
Cites background from "The biosynthesis and nutritional us..."
...Carotenoid metabolism and regulation in plants have since been described in previous review articles (Cunningham and Gantt, 1998; Hirschberg, 2001; Fraser and Bramley, 2004; DellaPenna and Pogson, 2006; Lu and Li, 2008; Cazzonelli and Pogson, 2010b; Zhu et al., 2010; Walter and Strack, 2011; Ruiz-Sola and Rodrı́guez-Concepcióna, 2012; Li and Yuan, 2013; Moise et al., 2013; Giuliano, 2014)....
[...]
...For example, PSY1 is preferentially localized in stroma, with its active form perhaps loosely associated with the membrane, whereas its product, phytoene, is largely present in the membrane and plastoglobuli, which may not be completely accessible to PDS as a precursor for carotene formation unless it is reintegrated into the membrane enzyme complex (Fraser et al., 1994; Fraser and Bramley, 2004; Nogueira et al., 2013)....
[...]
...Moreover, provitamin A carotenoids play essential roles in animals as precursors for the synthesis of retinoid, retinol (vitamin A), retinal (main visual pigment), and retinoic acid (which controls morphogenesis) (Fraser and Bramley, 2004; Krinsky and Johnson, 2005)....
[...]
References
More filters
TL;DR: Recombinant DNA technology was used to improve the nutritional value of rice, and a combination of transgenes enabled biosynthesis of provitamin A in the endosperm.
Abstract: Rice (Oryza sativa), a major staple food, is usually milled to remove the oil-rich aleurone layer that turns rancid upon storage, especially in tropical areas. The remaining edible part of rice grains, the endosperm, lacks several essential nutrients, such as provitamin A. Thus, predominant rice consumption promotes vitamin A deficiency, a serious public health problem in at least 26 countries, including highly populated areas of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Recombinant DNA technology was used to improve its nutritional value in this respect. A combination of transgenes enabled biosynthesis of provitamin A in the endosperm.
2,149 citations
TL;DR: Increasing the consumption of foods rich in certain carotenoids, in particular dark green, leafy vegetables, may decrease the risk of developing advanced or exudative AMD, the most visually disabling form of macular degeneration among older people.
Abstract: Objective. —To evaluate the relationships between dietary intake of carotenoids and vitamins A, C, and E and the risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of irreversible blindness among adults. Design. —The multicenter Eye Disease Case-Control Study. Setting. —Five ophthalmology centers in the United States. Patients. —A total of 356 case subjects who were diagnosed with the advanced stage of AMD within 1 year prior to their enrollment, aged 55 to 80 years, and residing near a participating clinical center. The 520 control subjects were from the same geographic areas as case subjects, had other ocular diseases, and were frequency-matched to cases according to age and sex. Main Outcome Measures. —The relative risk for AMD was estimated according to dietary indicators of antioxidant status, controlling for smoking and other risk factors, by using multiple logistic-regression analyses. Results. —A higher dietary intake of carotenoids was associated with a lower risk for AMD. Adjusting for other risk factors for AMD, we found that those in the highest quintile of carotenoid intake had a 43% lower risk for AMD compared with those in the lowest quintile (odds ratio, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.35 to 0.92;Pfor trend=.02). Among the specific carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are primarily obtained from dark green, leafy vegetables, were most strongly associated with a reduced risk for AMD (Pfor trend=.001). Several food items rich in carotenoids were inversely associated with AMD. In particular, a higher frequency of intake of spinach or collard greens was associated with a substantially lower risk for AMD (Pfor trend Conclusion. —Increasing the consumption of foods rich in certain carotenoids, in particular dark green, leafy vegetables, may decrease the risk of developing advanced or exudative AMD, the most visually disabling form of macular degeneration among older people. These findings support the need for further studies of this relationship. (JAMA. 1994;272:1413-1420)
1,411 citations
TL;DR: The findings suggest that intake of lycopene or other compounds in tomatoes may reduce prostate cancer risk, but other measured carotenoids are unrelated to risk.
Abstract: Background Several human studies have observed a direct association between retinol (vitamin A) intake and risk of prostate cancer; other studies have found either an inverse association or no association of intake of beta-carotene (the major provitamin A) with risk of prostate cancer. Data regarding carotenoids other than beta-carotene in relation to prostate cancer risk are sparse. Purpose We concluded a prospective cohort study to examine the relationship between the intake of various carotenoids, retinol, fruits, and vegetables and the risk of prostate cancer. Methods Using responses to a validated, semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire mailed to participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study in 1986, we assessed dietary intake for a 1-year period for a cohort of 47,894 eligible subjects initially free of diagnosed cancer. Follow-up questionnaires were sent to the entire cohort in 1988, 1990, and 1992. We calculated the relative risk (RR) for each of the upper categories of intake of a specific food or nutrient by dividing the incidence rate of prostate cancer among men in each of these categories by the rate among men in the lowest intake level. All P values resulted from two-sided tests. Results Between 1986 and 1992, 812 new cases of prostate cancer, including 773 non-stage A1 cases, were documented. Intakes of the carotenoids beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, and beta-cryptoxanthin were not associated with risk of non-stage A1 prostate cancer; only lycopene intake was related to lower risk (age- and energy-adjusted RR = 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64-0.99 for high versus low quintile of intake; P for trend = .04). Of 46 vegetables and fruits or related products, four were significantly associated with lower prostate cancer risk; of the four--tomato sauce (P for trend = .001), tomatoes (P for trend = .03), and pizza (P for trend = .05), but not strawberries--were primary sources of lycopene. Combined intake of tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, and pizza (which accounted for 82% of lycopene intake) was inversely associated with risk of prostate cancer (multivariate RR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.44-0.95, for consumption frequency greater than 10 versus less than 1.5 servings per week; P for trend = .01) and advanced (stages C and D) prostate cancers (multivariate RR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.22-1.00; P for trend = .03). No consistent association was observed for dietary retinol and risk of prostate cancer. Conclusions These findings suggest that intake of lycopene or other compounds in tomatoes may reduce prostate cancer risk, but other measured carotenoids are unrelated to risk. Implications Our findings support recommendations to increase vegetable and fruit consumption to reduce cancer incidence but suggest that tomato-based foods may be especially beneficial regarding prostate cancer risk.
1,359 citations
TL;DR: The mevalonate route to isopentenyl diphosphate and the GAP/pyruvate pathways in plants are studied to establish an understanding of isoprenoid biosynthesis and the distribution of the pathways amongst prokaryotes and phototrophic eukaryotes.
1,062 citations