Vitamin E in Plants: Biosynthesis, Transport, and Function

Abstract

Vitamin E, which includes both tocopherols and tocotrienols, comprises lipid-soluble antioxidants that modulate lipid peroxidation. Recently, significant advances have been made in our understanding of vitamin E biosynthesis, transport, and function. The phytyl moiety from chlorophyll degradation is used for tocopherol biosynthesis. An α-tocopherol-binding protein (TBP) has been identified in tomato (SlTBP) serving in intraorganellar vitamin E transport in plants. Moreover, α-tocopherol not only scavenges free radicals through flip-flop movements in the lipid bilayer, but may also contribute to fine-tuning the transmission of specific signals outside chloroplasts. Vitamin E, and α-tocopherol in particular, appear to be essential for plant development and help to provide the most suitable response to a number of environmental stresses.

Keywords: Vitamin E; antioxidants; chloroplasts; retrograde signaling; tocopherols; tocotrienols.