ARS | Publication request: Plants defective in calcium oxalate crystal formation have more bioavailable calcium

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 7, 2007
Publication Date: April 28, 2007
Citation: Hirschi, K.D., Morris, J., Nakata, P.A., McConn, M., Brock, A. 2007. Plants defective in calcium oxalate crystal formation have more bioavailable calcium [abstract]. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal. 21(5):A356.

Technical Abstract: Bioavailable calcium affects bone formation and calcification. Here we investigate how a single gene mutation altering calcium partitioning in the forage crop Medicago truncatula affects calcium bioavailability. Previously, the cod5 Medicago mutant was identified which contains wild-type amounts of calcium, but none partitioned into oxalate crystals. We fed M. truncatula and cod5 extrinsically and intrinsically labeled 45Ca-containing diets to mice, and absorption of the tracer was determined in the legs one day after consumption. In the intrinsically labeled diets, calcium absorption was 22.87% higher in mice fed cod5. Our study presents genetic evidence demonstrating the nutritional impact of removing oxalate crystals from foods.