Research Progress in Transgenic Plants Expressing Recombinant Phytase

Phytic acid is the main storage form of phosphorus in plants. Due to the lack of phytase in monogastric animal digestive tract, most of the phytic acid is unavailable, and directly excreted to manure. High phytic acid content in manure results in elevated phosphorus levels in soil and water and accompanying environmental concerns. Furthermore, as a sort of antinutrient, phytic acid will chelated some nutrients in plants and consequently reduce the nutrition value of plants. It is desirable that transgenic plants themselves express sufficient recombinant phytase to minimize the disadvantage from phytic acid by plants gene engineering. The superiority of transgenic plants phytase is summarized, the research progress is reviewed, and its development prospects are also discussed.