A research team from the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED) of the University of Valencia (UV) has successfully developed plants with enhanced nutritional value by increasing the levels of proteins and essential amino acids in their metabolism. These results, achieved through metabolic engineering techniques, aim to improve the quality of food crops. The study has been published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.

The alarming rise in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, driven by human activity, is triggering extreme environmental patterns that include devastating floods, prolonged droughts and intense heat waves. Climate change not only disrupts ecosystems but also directly impacts plant metabolism, jeopardising the nutritional value of crops for human food.

In environments with high levels of CO2, plants reduce their nitrogen and sulphur content, key constituents of proteins and nucleic acids. “The most worrying issue is the decline in essential amino acids, which are crucial for human health”, explains Roc Ros, professor of Plant Biology at UV, researcher at BIOTECMED and leader of the study, which also involves two German research centres. “Given that plants, especially cereals, already have low levels of protein, this phenomenon could further aggravate the situation. It is therefore vital to address the increase of organic nitrogen and sulphur content in plants, not only for economic reasons but also for humanity’s wellbeing”, adds the scientist.

The study now published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal has successfully increased protein content in crop plants, even under high-CO2 conditions. This was achieved by overexpressing a serine biosynthesis pathway and using metabolic engineering — a revolutionary tool to enhance the nutritional value of plants. “We have used genetic engineering techniques that are proving highly effective in enriching low-protein foods such as vegetables. This not only improves their properties, but also contributes to more sustainable diets, as producing animal-based foods consumes far more resources and is considerably more polluting”, explains Roc Ros.

This finding opens the door to the development of crops with greater efficiency in the biosynthesis of proteins and essential amino acids at a lower economic and environmental cost. Additionally, according to the study, this innovation could play a crucial role in improving public health by reducing dependence on animal-based products, thereby promoting a more sustainable and nutritious diet.

In addition to the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED) and the Department of Plant Biology, both at the University of Valencia, the study involved the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK, Gatersleben, Stadt Seeland) and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam-Golm, both in Germany.


Read the paper: Plant Biotechnology Journal

Article source: University of Valencia

Image: Arabidopsis thaliana planted in laboratory for AT protenome research. Credit: Jucember / Wikimedia