Transport and homeostasis of zinc for biofortification
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
Almost one third of the world’s population is thought to be zinc deficient and children are particularly sensitive to deficiency. Some major health problems associated with zinc deficiency include immune system suppression and increased susceptibility to deadly infectious diseases, delays in physical development and impairments in both physical and mental development. One strategy to combat dietary zinc deficiency is biofortification of cereal grains through enhanced zinc accumulation. The endosperm storage tissue dominates the grain and this project aims to increase the levels of zinc in this tissue. Transcriptomics data from cereals suggests that Metal Tolerance Proteins (MTPs) might be responsible for transition metal transport in the grain. The MTPs are members of the large Cation Diffusion Facilitator (CDF) family of transporters that are ubiquitous to all forms of life and which can be subdivide into three clades according to the chief metal transported: zinc, manganese or iron/zinc. A barley CDF transporter, HvMTP1 has been identified that localizes to the plant vacuolar membrane and can functionally complement a yeast zinc transporter-deficient mutant. Barley (cv Golden Promise) has been transformed using HvMTP1 with expression driven by grain-specific promoters that target different parts of the seed, either the endosperm or the aleurone. Several different barley lines have been generated and these are being grown in glasshouse pot experiments to measure if the transformation has resulted in increasing the grain zinc content. The grain will also be analysed to check if the content of other transition metals is changed when compared with control plants.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Dale Sanders (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Borrill P
(2014)
Biofortification of wheat grain with iron and zinc: integrating novel genomic resources and knowledge from model crops.
in Frontiers in plant science
Chen Y
(2015)
The role of nodes in arsenic storage and distribution in rice.
in Journal of experimental botany
Feng H
(2013)
Optimizing plant transporter expression in Xenopus oocytes.
in Plant methods
Gao S
(2019)
Cytokinin-dependent regulatory module underlies the maintenance of zinc nutrition in rice.
in The New phytologist
Kavitha PG
(2012)
Rice cultivars with differing salt tolerance contain similar cation channels in their root cells.
in Journal of experimental botany
Kenzhebayeva S
(2017)
Searching a spring wheat mutation resource for correlations between yield, grain size, and quality parameters
in Journal of Crop Improvement
Lomax C
(2012)
Methylated arsenic species in plants originate from soil microorganisms.
in The New phytologist
Menguer PK
(2018)
Improving zinc accumulation in cereal endosperm using HvMTP1, a transition metal transporter.
in Plant biotechnology journal
Patron NJ
(2015)
Standards for plant synthetic biology: a common syntax for exchange of DNA parts.
in The New phytologist
Podar D
(2012)
Metal selectivity determinants in a family of transition metal transporters.
in The Journal of biological chemistry
| Description | The amounts of zinc stored in barley grains have been increased using specialised metal transporter proteins. The proteins are usually present in cereals and increasing their activity in particular parts of the cereal grain can increase the amonts of zinc accumulated in the seed. This research has important consequences the natural zinc fortication of our diet. Zinc that is stored in the husk of the grain can be re-distributed into other parts of the grain. |
| Exploitation Route | This research will help cereal breeders and growers to produce crops with enriched amounts of the important metal, zinc. The increased amounts of zinc in the grain appear to be associated with increased amounts of phytate (phosphorus) and this is important because the bioavailability of dietary zinc is changed. For breeding crops with increased amounts of zinc it will be important to consider not only increased amounts of zinc in grain crops, but also changes in phytate levels. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Healthcare |
| Description | Cereals are being used to identify how vacuolar metal transporters can be used to increase the amounts of zinc stored in the grain. Modern cereal grains contain naturally low amounts of dietary zinc and increasing the stores of this metal in the seed endopserm can potentially boost human intake. Adequate levels of zinc in our diet is important for human health, particulary the immune system. Specific transporters for zinc accumulation in plant cell vacuoles have been identified and these can be used to enrich the zinc content of plant-based foods. The discovery that increased zinc accumulation in the seed endosperm can occur by remobilising zinc from other parts of the grain is important. Before consumption by humans the milling and processing of cereal grain often removes the aleurone and embryo, therefore breeding can select for increased amounts of zinc in the endosperm. Understanding the homeostatic regulation of zinc distribution in the plant and the grain are important for achieving increases in dietary zinc. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic |
| Description | CEPAMS Symposium Shanghai 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | CEPAMS Symposium Shanghai 2016 Friday 18th March Editing Long Distance Transport and Storage to Optimize the Site of Nitrogen Assimilation in Drought and Salt-stress |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | International Symposium on Plant Membrane Biology, Annapolis MD, USA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | International Symposium on Plant Membrane Biology, Annapolis MD, 2016 Thursday 9th June 2016 S16 Future Perspectives |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Invited Seminar at Bristol University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited seminar speaker at Bristol University - title 'The Plant Lytic Vacuole: Space-Filler, Garbage Bag, or Something More Interesting?' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Invited Seminar at SIPPE Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 4th November 2016 in Shanghai 15:00 Invited Seminar at SIPPE Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Invited seminar speaker Padua Italy (12th January 2016) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on the role of the plant lytic vacuole. Title: Lytic Vacuole: Space-Filler, Garbage Bag, or Something More Interesting? |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Invited seminar speaker Plant Sciences Univiersity of Oxford, UK (January 28 th 2016) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited Departmental seminar speaker. Topic was the role of the lytic vacuole. Title: The Plant Lytic Vacuole: Space-Filler, Garbage Bag, or Something More Interesting? |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Invited speaker at SEB Plant Transport Group Meeting Glasgow 2014 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation on the functional role of the vacuole proton pumping pyrophosphatase. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Invited speaker at York University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker to York University: Plant Biology Seminar - The Plant Lytic Vacuole: Space-Filler, Garbage Bag, or Something More Interesting? |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Invited speaker: Gordon Research Conference on Organellar Channels and Transporters |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker: Gordon Research Conference on Organellar Channels and Transporters Gordon Research Conference on Organellar Channels and Transporters |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Keynote Speech: Plants and Human Health at the Wellcome Trust China-UK Life Science Summit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote Speech: Plants and Human Health at the Wellcome Trust China-UK Life Science Summit |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Member of the Synthetic Biology Leadership Council |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Member of the Synthetic Biology Leadership Council |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Member of the UK Science Partnership for Animal and Plant Health |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Member of the UK Science Partnership for Animal and Plant Health - quarterly meetings are held |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Member of the interviewing panel for Herchel Smith Professorship of Biochemistry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Member of the interviewing panel for Herchel Smith Professorship of Biochemistry position - University of Cambridge |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Membership of Scientific Advisory Committee to the Plant Energy Biology ARC Centre of Excellence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Membership of Scientific Advisory Committee to the Plant Energy Biology ARC Centre of Excellence. An Australian National Centre. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Nourishing ten billion sustainably: resilient food production in a time of climate change |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | CLIMATE CHANGE : SCIENCE AND SOLUTIONS | BRIEFING 10 The global food system accounts for around one third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by human activity. It therefore offers a major opportunity for progress towards net zero if emissions can be reduced at the same time as delivering food security and building resilience to the inevitable impacts of climate change. Research shows how solutions can be found in diet change, respectfully approached, sustainable agricultural practices and harnessing the continuing wave of innovation in food biotechnology |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://royalsociety.org/-/media/policy/projects/climate-change-science-solutions/climate-science-so... |
| Description | Opening address at Breeders Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Opening address at Breeders Day at the John Innes Centre |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Panel Meeting of Severo Ochoa and Maria de Maeztu Committee - Madrid, Spain |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Panel Meeting of Severo Ochoa and Maria de Maeztu Committee - Madrid, Spain |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Royal Society fact finding visit to Beijing |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Royal Society fact finding visit to Beijing, 22 to 26 October for Royal Society's genetic technologies programme |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Salt & Water Stress in Plants - Gordon conference presentation Hong Kong |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Report research to the scientific community |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2012&program=salt |
| Description | Scientific Advisory Board Member for Max PIanck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Golm, Germany |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Scientific Advisory Board Meeting for Max PIanck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | University of Geneva - PhD Retreat |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | University of Geneva - PhD Retreat, participation in a debate: " Technological advances - A new chance for changing public perception on GMOs". Also speaker title: 'The plant lytic vacuole: space-filler, garbage bag, or something more interesting'. A two-day retreat for PhD students in molecular plant sciences at universities in French-speaking Switzerland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | World Life Science Conference (Sustainable Agriculture Session), Beijing, 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | World Life Science Conference (Sustainable Agriculture Session), Beijing, 2016 3rd November 2016, Session 48 Sustainable Agriculture - Membrane Transporters and Nutrition - from crops to people |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | World Life Science Conference (Sustainable Agriculture Session), Beijing, 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | China National Convention Center presentation: The Plant Vacuole: Roles in Plant and Human Nutrition, and Cellular Signaling 27th - 29th October 2018 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |