Vitamin E biosynthesis: biochemistry meets cell biology

Trends Plant Sci. 2003 Jan;8(1):6-8. doi: 10.1016/s1360-1385(02)00002-x.

Abstract

Vitamin E is thought to be involved in many essential processes in plants, but no functional proof has been reported. To study vitamin E deficiency in plants, a high-throughput biochemical screen for vitamin E quantification in Arabidopsis mutants has been developed, which has led to the identification of VTE1-encoding tocopherol cyclase. Interestingly, the corresponding maize mutation, sxd1, causes plasmodesmata malfunction, suggesting a link between tocopherol cyclase and plasmodesmata function.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / enzymology
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Intramolecular Transferases / genetics
  • Intramolecular Transferases / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Structures / physiology
  • Tocopherols / chemistry
  • Tocopherols / metabolism*
  • Vitamin E / biosynthesis*
  • Vitamin E / chemistry
  • Zea mays / genetics
  • alpha-Tocopherol / chemistry
  • alpha-Tocopherol / metabolism
  • beta-Tocopherol / chemistry
  • beta-Tocopherol / metabolism
  • gamma-Tocopherol / chemistry
  • gamma-Tocopherol / metabolism

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Sxd1 protein, Zea mays
  • Vitamin E
  • gamma-Tocopherol
  • beta-Tocopherol
  • Intramolecular Transferases
  • tocopherol cyclase
  • alpha-Tocopherol
  • Tocopherols