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Expression of modified tocopherol content and profile in sunflower tissues
Author(s) -
Del Moral Lidia,
FernándezMartínez José M,
PérezVich Begoña,
Velasco Leonardo
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.4585
Subject(s) - tocopherol , sunflower , pollen , biology , alpha tocopherol , sunflower seed , horticulture , botany , food science , vitamin e , antioxidant , biochemistry
BACKGROUND: Alpha‐tocopherol is the predominant tocopherol form in sunflower seeds. Sunflower lines that accumulate increased levels of beta‐, gamma‐ and delta‐tocopherol in seeds as well as lines with reduced and increased total seed tocopherol content have been developed. The objective of this research was to evaluate whether the modified tocopherol levels are expressed in plant tissues other than seeds. RESULTS: Lines with increased levels of beta‐, gamma‐ and delta‐tocopherol in seeds also possessed increased levels of these tocopherols in leaves, roots and pollen. Correlation coefficients for the proportion of individual tocopherols in different plant tissues were significantly positive in all cases, ranging from 0.68 to 0.97. A line with reduced tocopherol content in seeds also showed reduced content in roots and pollen. CONCLUSION: Genetic modifications producing altered seed tocopherol profiles in sunflower are also expressed in leaves, roots and pollen. Reduced total seed tocopherol content is mainly expressed at the root and pollen level. The expression of tocopherol mutations in other plant tissues will enable further studies on the physiological role of tocopherols and could be of interest for early selection for these traits in breeding programmes. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry