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High-carotenoid maize: development of plant biotechnology prototypes for human and animal health and nutrition

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Abstract

Carolight® is a transgenic maize variety that accumulates extraordinary levels of carotenoids, including those with vitamin A activity. The development of Carolight® maize involved the technical implementation of a novel combinatorial transformation method, followed by rigorous testing for transgene expression and the accumulation of different carotenoid molecules. Carolight® was envisaged as a way to improve the nutritional health of human populations that cannot access a diverse diet, but this ultimate humanitarian application can only be achieved after extensive testing for safety, agronomic performance and nutritional sufficiency. In this article, we chart the history of Carolight® maize focusing on its development, extensive field testing for agronomic performance and resistance to pests and pathogens, and feeding trials to analyze its impact on farm animals (and their meat/dairy products) as well as animal models of human diseases. We also describe more advanced versions of Carolight® endowed with pest-resistance traits, and other carotenoid-enhanced maize varieties originating from the same series of initial transformation experiments. Finally we discuss the further steps required before Carolight® can fulfil its humanitarian objectives, including the intellectual property and regulatory constraints that lie in its path.

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Acknowledgements

European Research Council Advanced Grant (BIOFORCE) and Proof of Concept Grant (Multinutrient Maize) to PC; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AGL2014-53970-C2-1-R, AGL2015-65846-R, BIO2014-54426-P and BIO2014-54441-P); RecerCaixa project PC084082; Catalan Autonomous Community 2014 SGR 1296 Agricultural Biotechnology Research Group and Agrotecnio Research Center. JDG thanks the UdL for a Ph.D. fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Lleida, Spain

    C. Zhu, G. Farré, D. Zanga, J. Lloveras, A. Michelena, J. P. Ferrio, J. Voltas, G. Slafer, R. Savin, R. Albajes, M. Eizaguirre, C. Lopez, C. Cantero-Martínez, G. Arjó, T. Capell & P. Christou

  2. Department of Botany, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile

    J. P. Ferrio

  3. ICREA, Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain

    G. Slafer & P. Christou

  4. Department of Food Technology, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Lleida, Spain

    J. Díaz-Gómez

  5. Department of Animal Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Lleida, Spain

    J. Díaz-Gómez, C. Nogareda, J. A. Moreno, E. Angulo, J. Estany, R. N. Pena & M. Tor

  6. Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lleida, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain

    M. Portero-Otin & J. C. E. Serrano

  7. Oncologic Pathology Group, University of Lleida, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain

    N. Eritja & X. Matias-Guiu

  8. Department of Medicine, University of Lleida, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain

    G. Arjó

  9. Department of Pathology, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Hospital Universitari of Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain

    X. Matias-Guiu

  10. TRM Ltd, PO Box 463, York, YO11 9FJ, UK

    R. M. Twyman

  11. Biosynthesis Group, Molecular Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany

    G. Sandmann

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  1. C. Zhu
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  2. G. Farré
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  3. D. Zanga
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  5. A. Michelena
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  8. G. Slafer
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  9. R. Savin
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  10. R. Albajes
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  11. M. Eizaguirre
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  12. C. Lopez
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  13. C. Cantero-Martínez
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  14. J. Díaz-Gómez
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  15. C. Nogareda
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  16. J. A. Moreno
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  17. E. Angulo
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  18. J. Estany
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  19. R. N. Pena
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  20. M. Tor
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  21. M. Portero-Otin
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  22. N. Eritja
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  23. G. Arjó
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  24. J. C. E. Serrano
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  25. X. Matias-Guiu
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  26. R. M. Twyman
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  27. G. Sandmann
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  28. T. Capell
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  29. P. Christou
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Correspondence to P. Christou.

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Zhu, C., Farré, G., Zanga, D. et al. High-carotenoid maize: development of plant biotechnology prototypes for human and animal health and nutrition. Phytochem Rev 17, 195–209 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-017-9506-4

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