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Production of Saffron Apocarotenoids in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Genome-Edited to Accumulate Zeaxanthin Precursor

TitleProduction of Saffron Apocarotenoids in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Genome-Edited to Accumulate Zeaxanthin Precursor
Publication TypeArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsDemurtas, Olivia Costantina, Sulli Maria, Ferrante Paola, Mini P., Martí Maricarmen, Aragonés Verónica, Daròs José-Antonio, and Giuliano Giovanni
JournalMetabolites
Volume13
Type of ArticleArticle
ISSN22181989
Abstract

Crocins are glycosylated apocarotenoids with strong coloring power and anti-oxidant, anticancer, and neuro-protective properties. We previously dissected the saffron crocin biosynthesis pathway, and demonstrated that the CsCCD2 enzyme, catalyzing the carotenoid cleavage step, shows a strong preference for the xanthophyll zeaxanthin in vitro and in bacterio. In order to investigate substrate specificity in planta and to establish a plant-based bio-factory system for crocin production, we compared wild-type Nicotiana benthamiana plants, accumulating various xanthophylls together with α- and β-carotene, with genome-edited lines, in which all the xanthophylls normally accumulated in leaves were replaced by a single xanthophyll, zeaxanthin. These plants were used as chassis for the production in leaves of saffron apocarotenoids (crocins, picrocrocin) using two transient expression methods to overexpress CsCCD2: agroinfiltration and inoculation with a viral vector derived from tobacco etch virus (TEV). The results indicated the superior performance of the zeaxanthin-accumulating line and of the use of the viral vector to express CsCCD2. The results also suggested a relaxed substrate specificity of CsCCD2 in planta, cleaving additional carotenoid substrates. © 2023 by the authors.

Notes

Cited by: 0; All Open Access, Gold Open Access

URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85163656019&doi=10.3390%2fmetabo13060729&partnerID=40&md5=49c9b713957755eb9896732a0a8d8d74
DOI10.3390/metabo13060729
Citation KeyDemurtas2023