Researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP), a joint center of CSIC and UPV, have discovered how to temporarily halt photosynthesis to turn plants into genuine factories of vitamin E.
The discovery was achieved thanks to a new synthetic chemical compound named X57, capable of transforming chloroplasts into cellular stores rich in antioxidants.
This advancement, published in Plant Biotechnology Journal, allows tripling vitamin E levels without the need to genetically modify plants, paving a revolutionary path in agricultural biofortification.
How the X57 compound works
Under normal conditions, chloroplasts capture sunlight to perform photosynthesis. However, when applying X57:
- Chloroplasts dedifferentiate, losing their internal membranes.
- They transform into deposits of plastoglobules, microdroplets of lipoproteins.
- These plastoglobules accumulate large amounts of tocopherols, the natural form of vitamin E.
The process is reversible: upon removing the compound, the plant regains its greenness and photosynthetic capacity in a few days.
An “unprecedented triple effect”
Researcher Pablo Pérez Colao describes three key mechanisms:
- Activation of dormant metabolic pathways, increasing vitamin E precursors.
- Redirection of cellular resources, dedicating the precursors almost exclusively to the synthesis of tocopherols.
- Safe storage of the vitamin in plastoglobules, doubling or tripling its concentration in the leaves.
The X57 compound acts directly on the protein SAL1, inhibiting its activity and generating a chemical signal that reduces the hormones promoting green color, weakening the photosynthetic identity of the chloroplast.
Nutritional and social impact
The biofortification technique with X57 could be key to combating malnutrition, affecting both countries with food scarcity and advanced societies with micronutrient-deficient diets (“hidden hunger”). Vitamin E is essential for human health, with antioxidant benefits that protect cells and tissues.
Moreover, the periodic controls associated with this type of treatment promote preventive medicine in the agricultural field, ensuring more nutritious and resilient crops.
Potential applications
X57 can be easily applied to crops through foliar spraying or added to the culture medium, making it a highly versatile biostimulant. Its applications include:
- Agriculture and food: production of vitamin E-enriched vegetables.
- Cosmetics: antioxidants for skincare products.
- Nutritional health: natural supplements with higher vitamin E concentration.
The discovery of the X57 compound marks a milestone in plant biotechnology. By offering a reversible, safe, and highly efficient method to increase vitamin E, it opens new possibilities to tackle global malnutrition, boost the cosmetic industry, and improve the nutritional quality of food without altering plant genes.
