ABSTRACT
More directly related to human nutrition, is the transgenic expression of vitamin A pathways in endosperm of golden rice. The genomic approach relocates the vitamin from the aleurone layer to the endosperm. Cereal grains are a major food and feed source. Cereal grain products are used in animal feeds, indirectly providing protein and energy resources to human nutrition. Optimization of the composition and yield of the grains could significantly improve their nutritional value. The nutritional value of the grains is determined by the nutrient amount and composition in the grains that accumulate during grain filling and by the bioavailability of micronutrients. Grain filling involves reproductive development and nutrient biosynthesis through multiple metabolic pathways. To identify the genes that are involved in the basic grain-filling mechanism in other cereal crops, the expression patterns of the identified rice grain-filling genes were examined in other cereals using the rice GeneChip microarray.
