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Vitamin K in photosynthetic organisms

delete2026-08-08
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OA
AI
J
Jerzy Kruk *
B
Beatrycze Nowicka
R
Renata Szymańska
M
Michał Gabruk
DOI:10.1007/s00425-026-05122-8delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Recently, great progress in vitamin K research in plants was made, especially on vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) homolog, new functions of VK in plant plasma membrane and VK1 biosynthesis. Although vitamin K (VK) was discovered in the 1930s, only recently has significant progress in the research on this lipid-soluble vitamin been made both in mammals and in photosynthetic organisms. For example, the molecular structure and catalytic mechanisms of the cyanobacterial vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) homolog have been resolved. It has been recently shown that all organisms from bacteria to higher plants share common, phylogenetically related VKOR-type enzymes, engaged in the formation of disulfide bridges in various target proteins. This activity is related to the phylloquinone (VK1)-dependent regulation of the STN7 kinase, which is responsible for optimal energy distribution between two photosystems. Moreover, new functions of VK1 and menaquinone-4 (VK2) in plant plasma membrane electron transport chain were identified. Recently, the plastid-localized biosynthetic pathway of VK1 has been nearly completely recognized. However, there are also indications of an alternative, plasma membrane-targeted VK1 biosynthesis pathway.
Keywords:
Biosynthesis
Chloroplasts
Cyanobacteria
Phylloquinone
Plants
Vitamin K

Journal

Planta cover
Planta
IF:
3.8
Papers:
7.1K
Citations:
2.3W

Organization

F
faculty of biochemistry
Scholars:
50
Papers: 15
Citations: 0
F
faculty of physics and applied computer science
Scholars:
80
Papers: 28
Citations: 0
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