Question

What is the science behind golden rice?

Answer 1

Golden rice is a variety of Oryza sativa produced by Profs Peter Beyer and Ingo Portrykus through genetic engineering to biosynthesise beta-carotene, which is a precursor of vitamin-A. The golden rice is different from its parental strain in that it has three additional beta-carotene synthesis genes. Golden rice was created by transforming rice with only two beta-carotene synthesis genes which are:

1. Psy (Phytoene synthase) daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus).
2. Crtl (Carotene desaturase) from the soil bacterium Erwinia uredovora.