296-3 Characterization of Transgenic Maize Containing Iron-Rich Proteins in Grain.

See more from this Division: C09 Biomedical, Health-Beneficial & Nutritionally Enhanced Plants
See more from this Session: General Biomedical, Health-Beneficial & Nutritionally Enhanced Plants: II/Div. C09 Business Meeting
Wednesday, November 3, 2010: 10:15 AM
Long Beach Convention Center, Room 308, Seaside Level
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M. Paul Scott, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, Anastasia L. Bodnar, Interdepartmental Genetics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA and Milly Kanobe, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Iron is a nutritionally limiting nutrient in human diets in many parts of the world.  Improving the content of highly bioavailable iron in crop plants with genetics is an attractive solution to this problem.   Transgenic maize plants that accumulate high levels of iron-rich proteins in grain have been produced.  We characterized plants containing maize hemoglobin and soybean ferritin.  In both cases, the transgene product was detectable in grain.  Transgenic kernels were compared to non-transgenic sibling kernels for accumulation of mRNA encoding seed storage proteins and proteins involved in mineral metabolism, as well as mineral content.   Taken together, our results suggest strategies for increasing the iron sink strength of maize grain and may facilitate production of nutritionally improved varieties.
See more from this Division: C09 Biomedical, Health-Beneficial & Nutritionally Enhanced Plants
See more from this Session: General Biomedical, Health-Beneficial & Nutritionally Enhanced Plants: II/Div. C09 Business Meeting