Design of CoQ₁₀ crops based on evolutionary history.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Plant Science
• Genetics

Background:

• Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is vital for cellular energy production and cardiovascular health.
• Humans synthesize Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), while many plants produce Coenzyme Q9 (CoQ9).
• Enhancing dietary CoQ10 through crops is desirable but limited by unknown Coq1 enzyme mechanisms controlling chain length.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the specific amino acid residues in the Coq1 enzyme responsible for CoQ chain length determination.
• To engineer CoQ10 production in staple crops like rice and wheat.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of CoQ9 and CoQ10 distribution across land plants.
• Investigation of Coq1 enzyme sequence variations.
• Utilizing gene editing to modify Coq1 genes in rice and wheat.

Main Results:

• Key amino acid substitutions at the Coq1 catalytic pocket were identified as drivers of CoQ9 synthesis.
• These changes were found to have evolved independently in multiple plant lineages.
• Successful modification of rice and wheat Coq1 genes to produce CoQ10.

Conclusions:

• Specific Coq1 residues dictate CoQ chain length, with convergent evolution favoring CoQ9 in plants.
• Gene editing offers a viable strategy to develop crops producing CoQ10.
• This research opens avenues for novel dietary CoQ10 sources to benefit human health.