Factors affecting the concentration of health-beneficial compounds in soybean

大豆[甘氨酸max (L.)]稳定。含有高浓度的异黄酮和生育酚，这两种物质都被认为对健康有益。单是大豆异黄酮在北美的市场价值就高达5亿美元。本研究旨在了解影响大豆中异黄酮和生育酚含量的因素。通过在多种环境中进行的研究，我们将在广泛的非生物因素（即空气和土壤温度、土壤湿度、肥力等）中确定影响大豆异黄酮和生育酚浓度最大的因素。在受控环境中，我们还将确定特定的生长阶段是否对特定的非生物因素更敏感，重点关注空气温度和土壤湿度的影响，这两个因素先前被报道会显著影响大豆中的异黄酮和生育酚浓度。在这些后期的研究中，我们将使用高效液相色谱法研究几种胁迫处理对大豆异黄酮和生育酚浓度以及基因表达的影响。我们将利用实时荧光定量pcr技术定量测定异黄酮合成[苯丙氨酸解氨酶（PAL）、查尔酮合成酶（CHS）、查尔酮还原酶（CHR）、异黄酮合成酶（IFS）、丙二醇转移酶（MT）和葡萄糖基转移酶（GT）]和生育酚合成[均质植基转移酶（HPT）、7,2-甲基-6-植基-1,4-苯醌甲基转移酶（MPBQ MT）、生育酚环化酶（TC）、和γ -生育酚甲基转移酶（γ - tmt）]在大豆发育过程中不同植物组织中的表达。为了确定胁迫如何影响大豆异黄酮和生育酚浓度，我们将研究它们与基因表达的关系。最终，这项研究将有助于开发新的增值产品，并为加拿大农业生产者和相关农业产业创造经济机会。

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] contains high concentrations of isoflavone and tocopherol, which both have putative health-beneficial properties. The North American market value for soybean isoflavones alone is of 500 million $. The proposed research program aims at providing an understanding of the factors affecting the concentrations of isoflavone and tocopherol in soybean. Using studies conducted in multiple environments we will identify among a wide range of abiotic factors (i.e., air and soil temperature, soil moisture, fertility, etc...) those affecting the most soybean isoflavone and tocopherol concentrations. In controlled environments, we will also determine if particular growth stages are more responsive to specific abiotic factors, focusing on the impact of air temperature and soil moisture, which were previously reported to significantly affect isoflavone and tocopherol concentrations in soybean. In these later studies we will look at the impact of several stress treatments on soybean isoflavone and tocopherol concentrations using HPLC, as well as gene expression. We will use real-time QRT-PCR technology to quantify transcript levels of genes involved in isoflavone synthesis [phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone reductase (CHR), isoflavone synthase (IFS), malonyl transferase (MT), and glucosyl transferase (GT)] and tocopherol synthesis [homogentisate phytyltransferase (HPT), 7,2-methyl-6-phytyl-1,4-benzoquinol methyltransferase (MPBQ MT), tocopherol cyclase (TC), and gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase (gamma-TMT)] in different plant tissues throughout soybean development, following different abiotic stress treatments. In order to determine how stress affects soybean isoflavone and tocopherol concentrations, we will study their relation to genes expression. Ultimately, this research will contribute to the development of new value-added productions and create economic opportunities for Canadian agricultural producers and associated agri-industries.