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Judit Berman,
Changfu Zhu,
Eduard Pérez-Massot,
Gemma Arjó, Uxue Zorrilla-López,
Gemma Masip,
Raviraj Banakar,
Georgina Sanahuja,
Gemma Farré,
Bruna Miralpeix,
Chao Bai,
Evangelia Vamvaka,
Maite Sabalza,
Richard M Twyman,
Ludovic Bassié,
Teresa Capell,
Paul Christou
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Genetically engineered (GE) crops can be used as part of a combined strategy to address food insecurity, which is defined as a lack of sustainable access to safe and nutritious food. In this article, we discuss the causes and consequences of food insecurity in the developing world, and the indirect economic impact on industrialized countries. We dissect the healthcare costs and lost productivity caused by food insecurity, and evaluate the relative merits of different intervention programs including supplementation, fortification and the deployment of GE crops with higher yields and enhanced nutritional properties. We provide clear evidence for the numerous potential benefits of GE crops, particularly for small-scale and subsistence farmers. GE crops with enhanced yields and nutritional properties constitute a vital component of any comprehensive strategy to tackle poverty, hunger and malnutrition in developing countries and thus reduce the global negative economic effects of food insecurity.
Plant Molecular Biology 02/2013; · 4.15 Impact Factor
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Changfu Zhu,
Georgina Sanahuja,
Dawei Yuan,
Gemma Farré,
Gemma Arjó,
Judit Berman, Uxue Zorrilla-López,
Raviraj Banakar,
Chao Bai,
Eduard Pérez-Massot,
Ludovic Bassie,
Teresa Capell,
Paul Christou
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Antioxidants are protective molecules that neutralize reactive oxygen species and prevent oxidative damage to cellular components such as membranes, proteins and nucleic acids, therefore reducing the rate of cell death and hence the effects of ageing and ageing-related diseases. The fortification of food with antioxidants represents an overlap between two diverse environments, namely fortification of staple foods with essential nutrients that happen to have antioxidant properties (e.g. vitamins C and E) and the fortification of luxury foods with health-promoting but non-essential antioxidants such as flavonoids as part of the nutraceuticals/functional foods industry. Although processed foods can be artificially fortified with vitamins, minerals and nutraceuticals, a more sustainable approach is to introduce the traits for such health-promoting compounds at source, an approach known as biofortification. Regardless of the target compound, the same challenges arise when considering the biofortification of plants with antioxidants, that is the need to modulate endogenous metabolic pathways to increase the production of specific antioxidants without affecting plant growth and development and without collateral effects on other metabolic pathways. These challenges become even more intricate as we move from the engineering of individual pathways to several pathways simultaneously. In this review, we consider the state of the art in antioxidant biofortification and discuss the challenges that remain to be overcome in the development of nutritionally complete and health-promoting functional foods.
Plant Biotechnology Journal 09/2012; · 5.44 Impact Factor
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Eduard Pérez-Massot,
Raviraj Banakar,
Sonia Gómez-Galera, Uxue Zorrilla-López,
Georgina Sanahuja,
Gemma Arjó,
Bruna Miralpeix,
Evangelia Vamvaka,
Gemma Farré,
Sol Maiam Rivera,
Svetlana Dashevskaya,
Judit Berman,
Maite Sabalza,
Dawei Yuan,
Chao Bai,
Ludovic Bassie,
Richard M Twyman,
Teresa Capell,
Paul Christou,
Changfu Zhu
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Malnutrition is a prevalent and entrenched global socioeconomic challenge that reflects the combined impact of poverty, poor access to food, inefficient food distribution infrastructure, and an over-reliance on subsistence mono-agriculture. The dependence on staple cereals lacking many essential nutrients means that malnutrition is endemic in developing countries. Most individuals lack diverse diets and are therefore exposed to nutrient deficiencies. Plant biotechnology could play a major role in combating malnutrition through the engineering of nutritionally enhanced crops. In this article, we discuss different approaches that can enhance the nutritional content of staple crops by genetic engineering (GE) as well as the functionality and safety assessments required before nutritionally enhanced GE crops can be deployed in the field. We also consider major constraints that hinder the adoption of GE technology at different levels and suggest policies that could be adopted to accelerate the deployment of nutritionally enhanced GE crops within a multicomponent strategy to combat malnutrition.
Genes & Nutrition 08/2012; · 2.51 Impact Factor
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Gemma Farre,
Shaista Naqvi,
Georgina Sanahuja,
Chao Bai, Uxue Zorrilla-López,
Sol M Rivera,
Ramon Canela,
Gerhard Sandman,
Richard M Twyman,
Teresa Capell,
Changfu Zhu,
Paul Christou
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: Combinatorial nuclear transformation is used to generate populations of transgenic plants containing random selections from a collection of input transgenes. This is a useful approach because it provides the means to test different combinations of genes without the need for separate transformation experiments, allowing the comprehensive analysis of metabolic pathways and other genetic systems requiring the coordinated expression of multiple genes. The principle of combinatorial nuclear transformation is demonstrated in this chapter through protocols developed in our laboratory that allow combinations of genes encoding enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway to be introduced into rice and a white-endosperm variety of corn. These allow the accumulation of carotenoids to be screened initially by the colour of the endosperm, which ranges from white through various shades of yellow and orange depending on the types and quantities of carotenoids present. The protocols cover the preparation of DNA-coated metal particles, the transformation of corn and rice plants by particle bombardment, the regeneration of transgenic plants, the extraction of carotenoids from plant tissues, and their analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 01/2012; 847:419-35.
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Dawei Yuan,
Ludovic Bassie,
Maite Sabalza,
Bruna Miralpeix,
Svetlana Dashevskaya,
Gemma Farre,
Sol M Rivera,
Raviraj Banakar,
Chao Bai,
Georgina Sanahuja, [......],
Eva Avilla, Uxue Zorrilla-López,
Nerea Ugidos-Damboriena,
Alberto López,
David Almacellas,
Changfu Zhu,
Teresa Capell,
Gunther Hahne,
Richard M Twyman,
Paul Christou
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are international development targets for the year 2015 that aim to achieve relative improvements in the standards of health, socioeconomic status and education in the world's poorest countries. Many of the challenges addressed by the MDGs reflect the direct or indirect consequences of subsistence agriculture in the developing world, and hence, plant biotechnology has an important role to play in helping to achieve MDG targets. In this opinion article, we discuss each of the MDGs in turn, provide examples to show how plant biotechnology may be able to accelerate progress towards the stated MDG objectives, and offer our opinion on the likelihood of such technology being implemented. In combination with other strategies, plant biotechnology can make a contribution towards sustainable development in the future although the extent to which progress can be made in today's political climate depends on how we deal with current barriers to adoption.
Plant Cell Reports 03/2011; 30(3):249-65. · 2.27 Impact Factor
