Metabolic engineering of micronutrients in crop plants

Micronutrient deficiency is a widespread phenomenon, most prevalent in developing countries. Being causally linked to the occurrence of a range of diseases, it affects billions of people worldwide. Enhancing the content of micronutrients in crop products through biotechnology is a promising technique to fight micronutrient malnutrition worldwide. Micronutrient fortification of food products has been implemented in a number of Western countries, but remains inaccessible for poor rural populations in a major part of the developing world. Moreover, evidence of the negative impacts of this practice on human health, at least for some vitamins, is accumulating. Biofortification of crop plants-the enhancement of vitamins and minerals through plant biotechnology-is a promising alternative or complement in the battle against micronutrient deficiencies. Owing to a growing knowledge about vitamin metabolism, as well as mineral uptake and reallocation in plants, it is today possible to enhance micronutrient levels in crop plants, offering a sustainable solution to populations with a suboptimal micronutrient intake

Metabolic Engineering

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Synthetic RNA Silencing of Actinorhodin Biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

We demonstrate the first application of synthetic RNA gene silencers in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Peptide nucleic acid and expressed antisense RNA silencers successfully inhibited actinorhodin production. Synthetic RNA silencing was target-specific and is a new tool for gene regulation and metabolic engineering studies in Streptomyces.Peer reviewe

Department of Metabolic Engineering

薬物代謝工学部門は和漢薬の薬効，毒性発現に関与する代謝系の分子生物学的研究を発展させることを設置目的とし，①和漢薬の薬効発現に関与する腸内細菌遺伝子の解析，②薬物代謝機能調節遺伝子の解明とその応用，③腎毒性物質産生機構の分子生物学的解明とその制御に関する研究を課題として取りあげ，和漢薬の薬効発現機構，生体へのレスポンスなどの基礎的研究を通じて，和漢薬の科学的評価や臨床応用をはかることを目指している。主な研究題目を以下に示す。1. 天然物のバイオトランスフォーメイション2. 和漢薬の薬効発現に関与する腸内細菌遺伝子の解明3. AIDSの予防および治療薬の開発4. 腎疾患における病態の解明と腎臓病治療薬の開発この論文は国立情報学研究所の学術雑誌公開支援事業により電子化されまし

Division of Metabolic Engineering

この論文は国立情報学研究所の学術雑誌公開支援事業により電子化されまし

Division of Metabolic Engineering

この論文は国立情報学研究所の学術雑誌公開支援事業により電子化されまし