Reduced Tocopherol Content in Arabidopsis thaliana by HPT:RNAi

Under stress conditions Reactive Oxygens Species (ROS) are produced and accumulate in plant leaves as a results of the oxidation of important cellular components like proteins، chlorophylls and lipids. Vitamin E is the collective term for tocochromonals. This lipid-soluble substance acompanied by carotenoids، glutathion and other antioxidants and has an important role in keeping the integrity of photosynthetic membranes. Tocopherols and tocoterienols are amphipathic molecules and are able to detoxify ROS and lipid peroxyl radicals in lipophilic environments. Hemogentisate phytyl transferase (HPT) is the key enzyme in the vitamin E biosynthesis pathway. To silence HPT and invesitgate its role in tocopherol production RNAi thechnique was used and the results obtained revealed that tocopherol content was decreased in derived lines.