Genetically Modified Tomatoes Might Be a New Source of Vitamin D

Tomatoes that have been gene-edited to create vitamin D, sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin, might be a simple and long-lasting solution to a worldwide health problem.

The researchers employed gene editing to switch off a particular component in the plant's DNA, which enhanced provitamin D3 levels in both tomato fruit and leaves.

When exposed to UVB radiation, it was transformed into vitamin D3.

Vitamin D in tomatoes through Gene editing

(Photo : TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Vitamin D is produced in our bodies as a result of skin exposure to UVB radiation, although the primary source is diet, as per ScienceDaily.

This novel biofortified crop might benefit millions of people suffering from vitamin D deficiency, a rising problem connected to an increased risk of cancer, dementia, and many other leading causes of death.

Vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with an increase in the severity of Covid-19 infection, according to research.

Tomatoes naturally contain extremely low quantities of one of the vitamin D3 building components, provitamin D3 or 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), in their leaves.

Normally, provitamin D3 does not accumulate in mature tomato fruits.

The John Innes Centre's Professor Cathie Martin's group employed CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to change the genetic coding of tomato plants such that provitamin D3 accumulates in the tomato fruit.

The modified plants' leaves had up to 600 ugs of provitamin D3 per gram of dry weight.

Adults should consume 10 ugs of vitamin D each day.

When growing tomatoes, the leaves are normally discarded, but those from the altered plants may be utilized to make vegan-friendly vitamin D3 supplements or food fortification.

Also Read: GMO 'Kill Switch' Makes Them Safer for Nature

GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)

GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are live creatures whose genes have been changed in some way.

GMOs can be animals or microorganisms, but they are most common in crops such as maize or potatoes that have been genetically modified in a lab to improve the amount or quality of food they produce.

GMO crops offer numerous advantages, yet some groups are concerned that they may have detrimental health repercussions, as per Insider.

Humans have been modifying plant DNA for thousands of years through the laborious process of crop cross-breeding.

Today, scientists can change plants more quickly by modifying their DNA in a lab setting.

You've probably eaten GMO crops without ever realizing it.

In 2018, genetically modified seeds accounted for around 92% of maize and 94% of soybeans planted in the United States.

Many GMO crops have been modified to make them less susceptible to insects and other pests. Bt-corn, for example, is a GMO crop that contains a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring soil bacterium.

This gene allows the maize to create a protein that kills various pests and insects, assisting in the protection of the corn.

When GMO scientists introduce new DNA into plant cells, they frequently include an extra gene that renders the transformed cells antibiotic-resistant.

They can then employ an antibiotic to destroy any plant cells that did not accept the new DNA.

However, researchers are discovering that these antibiotic-resistant genes do not necessarily disappear once you digest GMO foods, but can potentially be transmitted into sewage systems through your feces.

Some specialists are concerned that these genes would be acquired by hazardous bacteria present in sewers or your intestines, causing catastrophic ailments such as staph infections.

This means that standard antibiotic treatments will be ineffective against these new super-bacteria.

Related article: US Senate Passes Controversial GMO Labelling Bill