Selenium-Fortified Solanaceous Crops

Numerous studies have been published showing selenium as effective in preventing certain forms of cancer. There are also evidences that the mineral can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments and reduce the toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs. Selenium can also boost immunity. Some plants accumulate selenium in the form of methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys). MeSeCys has been shown to have potent anti-carcinogenic effects when applied to animal cancer cell lines and was the most effective anti-carcinogenic selenium containing compound in animal mammary cancer trials. Therefore, increasing the range of crop plants that can produce this compound is an attractive biotechnology target.

Researchers from the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research developed transgenic tobacco accumulating increased MeSeCys. Introduction of a gene that encodes for an enzyme necessary for MeSeCys synthesis resulted to 2- to 4-fold increase in selenium accumulation. MeSeCys production was increased (up to 20% of total selenium) without toxicity effects on growth. The approach used by the scientists might be applicable in increasing selenium content of other solanaceous plant species such as potato, tomato, pepper and eggplant.

The paper published by Transgenic Research is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11248-008-9233-0