Comparison of soilless and soil based selenium biofortification methods in Allium genus and identification of selenium uptake genes in Brassica and Arabidopsis using associative transcriptomics

Tools

Sheikhalivand, Sahar (2025) Comparison of soilless and soil based selenium biofortification methods in Allium genus and identification of selenium uptake genes in Brassica and Arabidopsis using associative transcriptomics. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

[thumbnail of Sahar Sheikhalivand.pdf]
Preview
 PDF (Thesis - as examined) - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Available under Licence Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (6MB) | Preview

Abstract

Malnutrition is a global problem underlying many of the health crises of today. Nutrient deficiency is a type of malnutrition commonly caused by undereating or an imbalanced diet. Insufficient uptake of essential nutrients can lead to a large number of health complications.

Selenium (Se) is one such nutrient, involved in antioxidant defence mechanisms via its appearance in defensive enzymes as a component of the 21 amino acid selenocysteine. These enzymes scavenge free radicals and prevent DNA and protein damage.

Se deficiency is associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, inflammatory disease, a decline in male fertility, a weakened immune system and many cancers. A major source of Se uptake in humans is through dietary plant consumption. Increasing Se levels in plants may thus be a useful strategy for combatting Se deficiency.

There are two ways to achieve this: the selection of crops with a greater propensity for high Se uptake and active Se biofortification. It is thus important to find genes involved in plant Se regulation and explore the best methods for plant biofortification in order to achieve an optimal outcome.

This thesis identified an Arabidopsis Thaliana gene (Desi1) involved in Se uptake and found hydroponics to be the most efficient biofortification method for Se in glasshouse plants. Extracts from Se biofortified crops were active antioxidant agents and induced cell death in HepG2 cancerous cell lines.

Future research should explore which Desi1 alleles result in the highest levels of Se uptake and whether the high Se content in these biofortified crops translate to higher Se levels in humans when consumed regularly.

Item Type: Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors: Graham, Neil
Rose, Peter
Keywords: Plant biofortification; Selenium uptake; plant selenium regulation
Subjects: S Agriculture > SB Plant culture
Faculties/Schools: UK Campuses > Faculty of Science > School of Biosciences
Item ID: 82287
Depositing User: Sheikhalivand, Sahar
Date Deposited: 12 Dec 2025 04:40
Last Modified: 12 Dec 2025 04:40
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/82287

Actions (Archive Staff Only)

Edit View Edit View