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AOBPreview published online on November 10, 2006
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcl236
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

BOTANICAL BRIEFING

Ascorbate as a Biosynthetic Precursor in Plants

Seth DeBolt, Vanessa Melino and Christopher M. Ford*

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, PMB1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia

* christopher.ford{at}adelaide.edu.au

Received: 25 July 2006    Returned for revision: 21 August 2006    Accepted: 27 September 2006   

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: L-Ascorbate (vitamin C) has well-documented roles in many aspects of redox control and anti-oxidant activity in plant cells. This Botanical Briefing highlights recent developments in another aspect of L-ascorbate metabolism: its function as a precursor for specific processes in the biosynthesis of organic acids.

SCOPE: The Briefing provides a summary of recent advances in our understanding of L-ascorbate metabolism, covering biosynthesis, translocation and functional aspects. The role of L-ascorbate as a biosynthetic precursor in the formation of oxalic acid, L-threonic acid and L-tartaric acid is described, and progress in elaborating the mechanisms of the formation of these acids is reviewed. The potential conflict between the two roles of L-ascorbate in plant cells, functional and biosynthetic, is highlighted.

CONCLUSIONS: Recent advances in the understanding of L-ascorbate catabolism and the formation of oxalic and L-tartaric acids provide compelling evidence for a major role of L-ascorbate in plant metabolism. Combined experimental approaches, using classic biochemical and emerging ‘omics’ technologies, have provided recent insight to previously under-investigated areas.

Key words: Ascorbate, tartrate, oxalate, grapes, Vitis, metabolism


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