Vitamin E in Plants: Biosynthesis, Transport, and Function.

Paula Muñoz, Sergi Munné-Bosch

Journal: Trends in plant science 2020;24(11):1040-1051

PMID: 31606282

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Vitamin E, which includes both tocopherols and tocotrienols, comprises lipid-soluble antioxidants that modulate lipid peroxidation. Recently, significant advances have been made in our understanding of vitamin E biosynthesis, transport, and function. The phytyl moiety from chlorophyll degradation is used for tocopherol biosynthesis. An α-tocopherol-binding protein (TBP) has been identified in tomato (SlTBP) serving in intraorganellar vitamin E transport in plants. Moreover, α-tocopherol not only scavenges free radicals through flip-flop movements in the lipid bilayer, but may also contribute to fine-tuning the transmission of specific signals outside chloroplasts. Vitamin E, and α-tocopherol in particular, appear to be essential for plant development and help to provide the most suitable response to a number of environmental stresses.

Address: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Av. Diagonal 643, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Biology, Av. Diagonal 643, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.08.006

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MeSH Terms: Antioxidants, Chloroplasts, Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, Vitamin E