Bennett Lab - Plant Biotechnology

We also employ our expertise in molecular genetics, plant transgenics and metabolite profiling technologies for biotechnological applications relating to human nutrition. This work has led to the isolation and characterisation of genes that influence the abundance and bioavailability of phytochemicals with anti-cancer properties (Matusheski et al, 2006). Recent work has focused on the vitamin folate. Reduced dietary intake of folates is associated with bone marrow defects resulting in anaemia, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, in addition to increased risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. Food consists of a complex mixture of polyglutamated tetrahydrofolates (typically 3 to 8 glutamates). Polyglutamated folates are required to be converted to a monoglutamated form prior to absorption. Hence, dietary derived folates are less bioavailable than the synthetic monoglutamate folate, folic acid. We are attempting to enhance both the abundance and bioavailability of dietary folates using a number of different strategies in crops such as tomato, rice and wheat in collaboration with several other Nottingham groups.