《生命科学》 2011, 23(2): 205-211

植物类胡萝卜素代谢工程与应用

陈中媛¹，卢　山¹，黄继荣^2*

(1 南京大学生命科学学院，南京210093；2 中国科学院上海生命科学研究院植物生理生态研究所，上海200032)

摘　要：

摘　要：类胡萝卜素是人类所需要的重要营养成分之一，不仅具有抗氧化、预防肿瘤和心血管等疾病的作用，而且还是人体合成维生素A 的前体。全球大约有280 万~330 万学龄前儿童出现维生素缺乏(vitamin Adeficiency，VAD) 的临床症状；近2 亿儿童处于半缺乏状态。通过对植物类胡萝卜素生物合成途径的解析，以及对参与这一代谢过程的酶及其调控机制的深入了解，目前已经可以通过基因工程在主要农作物中组织特异性地促进类胡萝卜素的合成与积累。从理论上已经可以利用转基因植物来减少VAD 的出现。该文简要回顾近年来这一领域的研究进展。

    

关键词：类胡萝卜素；维生素A ；生物合成；代谢工程；转基因
中图分类号：O629 ；Q74 文献标识码：A

Metabolic engineering and applications of plant carotenoid biosynthesis

CHEN Zhong-Yuan¹， LU Shan¹， HUANG Ji-Rong^2*

(1 School of Life Sciences， Nanjing University， Nanjing 210093， China; 2 Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology，Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences， the Chinese Academy of Sciences， Shanghai 200032， China)

Abstract:
    

Abstract: Carotenoids are essential nutrients for human beings. In addition to their antioxidant properties and their functions in preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases， some carotenoids are also precursors of vitamin A， which our bodies cannot de novo synthesize. There are globally about 2.8~3.3 million preschool children with clinical vitamin A deficiency (VAD)， with another ~200 million in subclinical VAD situation. With the deciphering of plant carotenoid metabolic pathway and the characterization of enzymes， genes and regulatory mechanisms
functioning in this pathway， it is now feasible to promote the biosynthesis and accumulation of carotenoids in specific tissues of staple crops by means of metabolic engineering and gene transformation. Theoretically， it is ready
to relief， at least in part， VAD with transgenic crops. Major progresses in this field are briefly summarized here.

    

Key words: carotenoids; vitamin A; biosynthesis; metabolic engineering; transgenic crops