ARS | Publication request: Modulation of carotenoid accumulation in transgenic potato by inducing chromoplast formation with enhanced sink strength

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: May 30, 2009
Publication Date: February 1, 2010
Citation: Van Eck, J., Zhou, X., Lu, S., Li, L. 2010. Modulation of carotenoid accumulation in transgenic potato by inducing chromoplast formation with enhanced sink strength. In: Fett-Neto, A., editor. Metabolic Engineering of Plant Secondary Pathways with Methods in Molecular Biology Book Series. Chapter 6. New York, NY: Springer. p. 77-93.

Technical Abstract: An increasing interest in carotenoids as nutritional sources of provitamin A and health-promoting compounds has prompted a significant effort in metabolic engineering of carotenoid content and composition in food crops. The strategy commonly used in plants is to increase the biosynthetic capacity by altering the carotenogenic enzyme activities. The recent isolation of the Or gene from cauliflower orange mutant has brought a new endeavor for carotenoid enhancement by increasing the sink strength to sequester and store the synthesized carotenoids. Potato is one of the major staple crops, which usually accumulates low levels of carotenoids. In this chapter, we describe a detailed protocol for metabolic engineering of carotenoids in potato plants with the Or gene, and analysis of the Or transformants.