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Golden Rice: Genetically Engineered Nutrition

Golden Rice is a genetically engineered rice variety designed to produce beta-carotene, addressing vitamin A deficiency in regions with dietary shortages. It was developed by inserting two genes from daffodil and a soil bacterium into the rice genome, resulting in a rice that is yellow due to beta-carotene accumulation. Despite criticisms regarding its effectiveness and potential GMO implications, studies have shown that beta-carotene from Golden Rice can be converted into vitamin A in humans.

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26 views1 page

Golden Rice: Genetically Engineered Nutrition

Golden Rice is a genetically engineered rice variety designed to produce beta-carotene, addressing vitamin A deficiency in regions with dietary shortages. It was developed by inserting two genes from daffodil and a soil bacterium into the rice genome, resulting in a rice that is yellow due to beta-carotene accumulation. Despite criticisms regarding its effectiveness and potential GMO implications, studies have shown that beta-carotene from Golden Rice can be converted into vitamin A in humans.

Uploaded by

Divit Prasad
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Golden Rice

Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic


engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, in the edible parts of the
rice. It is intended to produce a fortified food to be grown and consumed in areas with a shortage
of dietary vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency causes xerophthalmia, a range of eye conditions
from night blindness to more severe clinical outcomes such as keratomalacia and corneal scars,
and permanent blindness. Additionally, vitamin A deficiency also increases risk of mortality
from measles and diarrhea in children. In 2013, the prevalence of deficiency was the highest in
sub-Saharan Africa (48%; 25–75), and South Asia (44%; 13–79)

Golden rice was created by transforming rice with two beta-carotene biosynthesis genes:

1. psy (phytoene synthase) from daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus)


2. crtI (phytoene desaturase) from the soil bacterium Erwinia uredovora
(The insertion of a lcy (lycopene cyclase) gene was thought to be needed, but further research
showed it is already produced in wild-type rice endosperm.)
The psy and crtI genes were transferred into the rice nuclear genome and placed under the
control of an endosperm-specific promoter, so that they are only expressed in the endosperm.
The exogenous lcy gene has a transit peptide sequence attached, so it is targeted to the plastid,
where geranylgeranyl diphosphate is formed. The bacterial crtI gene was an important inclusion
to complete the pathway, since it can catalyse multiple steps in the synthesis of carotenoids up to
lycopene, while these steps require more than one enzyme in plants. The end product of the
engineered pathway is lycopene, but if the plant accumulated lycopene, the rice would be red.
Recent analysis has shown the plant's endogenous enzymes process the lycopene to beta-
carotene in the endosperm, giving the rice the distinctive yellow colour for which it is named. The
original golden rice was called SGR1, and under greenhouse conditions it produced 1.6 µg/g of
carotenoids.

Critics of genetically engineered crops have raised various concerns. An early issue was that
golden rice originally did not have sufficient beta-carotene content. This problem was solved by
the advancing of GR2E event. The speed at which beta-carotene degrades once the rice is
harvested, and how much remains after cooking are contested. However, a 2009 study
concluded that beta-carotene from golden rice is effectively converted into vitamin A in humans.
Greenpeace opposes the use of any patented genetically modified organisms in agriculture and
opposes the cultivation of golden rice, claiming it will open the door to more widespread use of
GMOs. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has emphasised the non-commercial
nature of their project, stating that "None of the companies listed ... are involved in carrying out
the research and development activities of IRRI or its partners in Golden Rice, and none of them
will receive any royalty or payment from the marketing or selling of golden rice varieties
developed by IRRI."

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