Accessibility navigation


VC1 catalyses a key step in the biosynthesis of vicine in faba bean

Björnsdotter, E., Nadzieja, M., Chang, W., Escobar-Herrera, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5671-5609, Mancinotti, D., Angra, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6681-0597, Xia, X., Tacke, R., Khazaei, H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5202-8764, Crocoll, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2754-3518, Vandenberg, A., Link, W., Stoddard, F. L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8097-5750, O'Sullivan, D. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4889-056X, Stougaard, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9312-2685, Schulman, A. H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4126-6177, Andersen, S. U. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1096-1468 and Geu-Flores, F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5735-9810 (2021) VC1 catalyses a key step in the biosynthesis of vicine in faba bean. Nature Plants, 7. pp. 923-931. ISSN 2055-0278

[img]
Preview
Text (Author accepted version) - Accepted Version
· Please see our End User Agreement before downloading.

5MB

It is advisable to refer to the publisher's version if you intend to cite from this work. See Guidance on citing.

To link to this item DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00950-w

Abstract/Summary

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a widely adapted and high-yielding legume cultivated for its protein-rich seeds1. However, the seeds accumulate the pyrimidine glucosides vicine and convicine, which can cause haemolytic anaemia (favism) in 400 million genetically predisposed individuals2. Here, we use gene-to-metabolite correlations, gene mapping and genetic complementation to identify VC1 as a key enzyme in vicine and convicine biosynthesis. We demonstrate that VC1 has GTP cyclohydrolase II activity and that the purine GTP is a precursor of both vicine and convicine. Finally, we show that cultivars with low vicine and convicine levels carry an inactivating insertion in the coding sequence of VC1. Our results reveal an unexpected, purine rather than pyrimidine, biosynthetic origin for vicine and convicine and pave the way for the development of faba bean cultivars that are free of these anti-nutrients.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Crop Science
ID Code:99125
Publisher:Nature

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

University Staff: Request a correction | Centaur Editors: Update this record

Page navigation