By Blake Jackson
A groundbreaking study by the University of Kentucky's Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has uncovered a surprising link between plant immune responses and human neurological health. The research reveals that the metabolic pathways responsible for regulating vitamin B6, which is vital in certain forms of epilepsy and immune function, are shared by both plants and humans.
Published in Nature Plants and supported by funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the study highlights the importance of plant-based diets for providing essential vitamins and amino acids. It also emphasizes the biochemical connections between plant resilience and human health.
The study centers on lysine catabolism, the breakdown of nutrients crucial for metabolism. Lysine, an amino acid, plays a vital role in protein synthesis, collagen formation, calcium absorption, and enzyme production. Researchers discovered that plants produce Δ1-piperideine-6-carboxylic acid (P6C) during lysine breakdown, which mirrors a process in humans where high P6C levels are linked to pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy. In plants, elevated P6C disrupts vitamin B6 balance, depleting key B6 forms and impairing immunity.
"The same molecular pathways that regulate plant immunity are also involved in human neurological health, emphasizing how fundamental metabolites like vitamins and amino acids have been conserved throughout evolution," said Study lead researcher, Dr. Huazhen Liu.
The research also explores the evolutionary origins of these pathways, suggesting that certain enzymes involved in lysine and proline metabolism in plants were likely obtained from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. These enzymes were later repurposed to maintain vitamin B6 levels and detoxify metabolic intermediates.
The findings underscore the critical role of plant-based diets in maintaining human health, especially for providing vitamin B6, which is essential for neurotransmitter function, immune responses, and metabolism. The study suggests that disruptions in amino acid metabolism could have far-reaching effects on both plant immunity and human health.
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Categories: Kentucky, Education