A collaborative effort between the University of Geneva, ETH Zurich, and Taiwan’s National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) has yielded a breakthrough in addressing vitamin B1 deficiency, a significant public health concern in regions where rice is a staple food. Vitamin B1, or thiamine, is an essential micronutrient for properly functioning nervous and cardiovascular systems. The deficiency of this vitamin is associated with various diseases, making it a critical focus for researchers.

The team’s innovation involves developing a rice line with significantly enhanced vitamin B1 content, achieved by targeting the nourishing tissues of the rice grain. This advancement is particularly noteworthy as rice is a primary dietary component for many global populations, especially in Asian, South American, and African countries. The processing of rice, including steps such as polishing, further reduces its vitamin B1 content, exacerbating chronic deficiencies prevalent in these regions.

Previous attempts at increasing vitamin B1 content in rice had shown promise in leaves and unpolished seeds but failed to retain the trait in polished grains, often impacting yield. However, the recent study specifically targeted the increase in vitamin B1 content in the endosperm, the nourishing tissue that constitutes the bulk of the seed and is consumed as rice. The resulting rice lines exhibited a significant increase in vitamin B1 content without compromising agronomic yield, offering a promising solution to address vitamin B1 deficiency in rice-dependent populations.

Field trials in Taiwan demonstrated the stability of the modified gene’s expression and its positive impact on vitamin B1 accumulation in rice grains. The enhanced rice lines showed a three to fourfold increase in vitamin B1 content in the polished grains, potentially providing around a third of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B1 for adults. This development marks a significant step toward biofortified plants with enhanced vitamin B1 content. However, further regulatory steps related to biofortification by genetic engineering will need to be addressed before widespread cultivation.

The researchers’ paper was published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.

References

• Fitzpatrick, T. B., Dalvit, I., Chang, F., Wang, K., Fudge, J. B., Chang, S., Maillot, B., & Gruissem, W. (2024). Vitamin B1 enhancement in the endosperm of rice through thiamine sequestration. Plant Biotechnology Journal, pbi.14348. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.1434
• University of Geneva. (2024, April 11). Scientists develop biofortified rice to combat nutrient deficiencies. Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-biofortified-rice-combat-nutrient.html