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Chemistry and Metabolism of Ascorbic Acid in Plants

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Ascorbic Acid in Plant Growth, Development and Stress Tolerance

Abstract

Ascorbic acid (ascorbate/AsA/vitamin C) is one of the most abundant and versatile biomolecules in plants and animals. In particular, AsA is present in high concentrations in the chloroplasts and cytosol of plant species. In plants, AsA serves as a major antioxidant and enzyme cofactor and regulates various physiological processes including stress tolerance as well as growth, development, and signal transduction. To accomplish crucial physiological roles adequately, intracellular levels of AsA in plant cells must be tightly regulated. Recent studies have revealed the pathways for AsA biosynthesis and their regulation in plants. In addition, AsA is known to be utilized as a biosynthetic precursor in the formation of several organic acids. This chapter presents up-to-date information on the metabolic processes of AsA, including biosynthesis and degradation, which influence the intracellular concentration of AsA.

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Acknowledgement

This work was partially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan [Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (to K.Y and T.I: 17H03807)].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Nutritional Science, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi, Japan

    Kazuya Yoshimura

  2. Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, Matsue, Shimane, Japan

    Takahiro Ishikawa

Authors
  1. Kazuya Yoshimura
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  2. Takahiro Ishikawa
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Correspondence to Kazuya Yoshimura .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

    Mohammad Anwar Hossain

  2. Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Sergi Munné-Bosch

  3. Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    David J. Burritt

  4. Department of Plant Biology, University of Murcia, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain

    Pedro Diaz-Vivancos

  5. Department of Applied Biological Science, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan

    Masayuki Fujita

  6. Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA

    Argelia Lorence

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Yoshimura, K., Ishikawa, T. (2017). Chemistry and Metabolism of Ascorbic Acid in Plants. In: Hossain, M., Munné-Bosch, S., Burritt, D., Diaz-Vivancos, P., Fujita, M., Lorence, A. (eds) Ascorbic Acid in Plant Growth, Development and Stress Tolerance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74057-7_1

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