《生命科学》 2015, 27(8): 1055-1060
摘 要：摘 要：叶酸(folates) 是一类水溶性B 族维生素，包括四氢叶酸(tetrahydrofolate， THF) 及其衍生物，是动植物体中参与C1 转移反应的重要辅酶，在嘌呤、胸苷酸、DNA、氨基酸和蛋白质的生物合成以及甲基循环中发挥重要作用，也是动植物体生长发育所必需的微量营养素。由于人类不具备自身合成叶酸的能力，因此，需要从植物和微生物中摄取。人类缺乏叶酸会增加许多疾病风险，全球叶酸缺乏的人群仍比较普遍，利用生物强化提高作物的叶酸含量是一个解决全球性叶酸缺乏问题的有效方法，对人类生存与健康具有重要意义。现综述了近年来国内外叶酸代谢和作物叶酸生物强化的主要研究成果，并对叶酸生物强化分子设计育种的未来发展方向进行了展望。
Abstract: Abstract: Folates are a group of water-soluble Vitamin B， including tetrahydrofolate (THF) and its derivatives. Folates are central cofactors in C1 transfer reaction and play important roles in the biosynthesis of DNA， amino acids， and protein as well as in the methyl cycle， thus being essential for growth and development of animals and plants. Folates are essential for human health as humans are unable to synthesize folates de novo and have to take up from plants and microbes. Folate deficiency is closely associated with increasing risks of diseases and is prevalent in large population across the world. Enhancement of folates in food crops through biofortification is a cost-effective strategy to tackle the global problem of folate deficiency in human. This review summarizes the research achievements of folate metabolism and folate fortification in crops， and sheds light on the trends in molecular design breeding for crops rich in folates.
