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Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology)  2008, Vol. 9 Issue (3): 165-191    DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B0710640
Reviews (Keynote Speakers)     
Phytate: impact on environment and human nutrition. A challenge for molecular breeding
Lisbeth BOHN, Anne S. MEYER, Søren K. RASMUSSEN
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Department of Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Abstract  Phytic acid (PA) is the primary storage compound of phosphorus in seeds accounting for up to 80% of the total seed phosphorus and contributing as much as 1.5% to the seed dry weight. The negatively charged phosphate in PA strongly binds to metallic cations of Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn and Zn making them insoluble and thus unavailable as nutritional factors. Phytate mainly accumulates in protein storage vacuoles as globoids, predominantly located in the aleurone layer (wheat, barley and rice) or in the embryo (maize). During germination, phytate is hydrolysed by endogenous phytase(s) and other phosphatases to release phosphate, inositol and micronutrients to support the emerging seedling. PA and its derivatives are also implicated in RNA export, DNA repair, signalling, endocytosis and cell vesicular trafficking. Our recent studies on purification of phytate globoids, their mineral composition and dephytinization by wheat phytase will be discussed. Biochemical data for purified and characterized phytases isolated from more than 23 plant species are presented, the dephosphorylation pathways of phytic acid by different classes of phytases are compared, and the application of phytase in food and feed is discussed.

Key wordsPhytase      Phytic acid      Iron bioavailability      Antinutritional factor      Purple acid phosphatase      Cereal     
Received: 05 February 2008     
CLC:  X5  
Cite this article:

Lisbeth BOHN, Anne S. MEYER, Søren K. RASMUSSEN. Phytate: impact on environment and human nutrition. A challenge for molecular breeding. Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B (Biomedicine & Biotechnology), 2008, 9(3): 165-191.

URL:

http://www.zjujournals.com/xueshu/zjus-b/10.1631/jzus.B0710640     OR     http://www.zjujournals.com/xueshu/zjus-b/Y2008/V9/I3/165

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