Plant amino acid-derived vitamins: biosynthesis and function

Abstract

Vitamins are essential organic compounds for humans, having lost the ability to de novo synthesize them. Hence, they represent dietary requirements, which are covered by plants as the main dietary source of most vitamins (through food or livestock's feed). Most vitamins synthesized by plants present amino acids as precursors (B1, B2, B3, B5, B7, B9 and E) and are therefore linked to plant nitrogen metabolism. Amino acids play different roles in their biosynthesis and metabolism, either incorporated into the backbone of the vitamin or as amino, sulfur or one-carbon group donors. There is a high natural variation in vitamin contents in crops and its exploitation through breeding, metabolic engineering and agronomic practices can enhance their nutritional quality. While the underlying biochemical roles of vitamins as cosubstrates or cofactors are usually common for most eukaryotes, the impact of vitamins B and E in metabolism and physiology can be quite different on plants and animals. Here, we first aim at giving an overview of the biosynthesis of amino acid-derived vitamins in plants, with a particular focus on how this knowledge can be exploited to increase vitamin contents in crops. Second, we will focus on the functions of these vitamins in both plants and animals (and humans in particular), to unravel common and specific roles for vitamins in evolutionary distant organisms, in which these amino acid-derived vitamins play, however, an essential role.

Chimeric origins of ochrophytes and haptophytes revealed through an ancient plastid proteome

“…Core plastid metabolism pathways were identified using recent reviews of ochrophyte metabolism, or reviews of homologous plant plastid metabolic pathways where ochrophyte-specific reviews have not yet been published (Smith et al, 2012; Green, 2011; Grouneva et al, 2011; Allen et al, 2011; Kroth et al, 2008; Bromke, 2013; Bertrand, 2010; Miret and Munné-Bosch, 2014; Bandyopadhyay et al, 2008; Shtaida et al, 2015). The probable function and KOG classification of each HPPG were annotated using the pre-existing annotations associated with seed protein sequence (if these existed), or if not the annotated function of the top uniref hit previously identified by BLAST searches of the seed sequence (Table S9 [Dorrell et al, 2016]).…”

Additive effects due to biochar and endophyte application enable soybean to enhance nutrient uptake and modulate nutritional parameters

“…In the case of amino acid up-regulation, soybean shoots treated with BC via individual application contributed more nutrients to plants (Elad et al, 2011). An increase in amino acid levels allows soybean plants to carry out secondary metabolite formation efficiently, and synthesize more vitamins (like vitamins B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , B 5 , B 7 , B 9 , and E) and proteins (Tzin and Galili, 2010;Miret and Munné-Bosch, 2014). The up-or down-regulation of both N and S limits the function of other nutrients (McGrath and Zhao, 1996).…”

Soybean Sprouts: A Review of Nutrient Composition, Health Benefits and Genetic Variation

“…An adequate supply of vitamins can thus prevent such diseases and disorders (Kraemer et al 2008). Since humans cannot synthesize vitamins, they must be acquired from their diets (Miret and Munné-Bosch 2014).…”