HPPD gene expression in relation to vitamin E content in spring barley

Abstract

The enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) has a very important role in the biosynthetic pathway of vitamin E. Its activity influences the final level of tocols in plant tissues. Seven barley cultivars with different vitamin E level were grown under control conditions and activity of HPPD gene was measured four, eight and twelve days after pollination of ear tissues. It was found that activity of HPPD gene corresponded with vitamin E content detected in grains (r = 0.77*). The relationship between the gene activity for HPPD eight and twelve days after pollination and vitamin E content was also confirmed for analyzed cultivars grown in the field conditions (r = 0.85*).

Keywords

• vitamin E
• tocols
• tocopherols
• HPPD
• 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase
• gene activity