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Expression of Genes Controlling Unsaturated Fatty Acids Biosynthesis and Oil Deposition in Developing Seeds of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.)

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Lipids

Abstract

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L., Euphorbiaceae) seed oil is rich in α-linolenic acid, a kind of n-3 fatty acids with many health benefits. To discover the mechanism underlying α-linolenic acid accumulation in sacha inchi seeds, preliminary research on sacha inchi seed development was carried out from one week after fertilization until maturity, focusing on phenology, oil content, and lipid profiles. The results suggested that the development of sacha inchi seeds from pollination to mature seed could be divided into three periods. In addition, investigations on the effect of temperature on sacha inchi seeds showed that total oil content decreased in the cool season, while unsaturated fatty acid and linolenic acid concentrations increased. In parallel, expression profiles of 17 unsaturated fatty acid related genes were characterized during seed development and the relationships between gene expression and lipid/unsaturated fatty acid accumulation were discussed.

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Abbreviations

ALA:

Alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3)

DAP:

Days after pollination

DGAT:

Acyl-CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase

DW:

Dry weight

FA:

Fatty acid desaturase

FATA:

Acyl-acyl-carrier protein thioesterase A

FFA:

Free fatty acids

FW:

Fresh weight

G3PDH:

Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

LNA:

Linoleic acid (18:2n-6)

MBOAT:

Membrane-bound O-acyltransferase

NL:

Neutral lipids

OLA:

Oleic acid (18:1n-9)

PAM:

Palmitic acid (16:0)

PAP:

Phosphatidate phosphatase

PL:

Phospholipids

PLA2 :

Phospholipase A2

PLC:

Phospholipase C

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acid(s)

SAD:

Stearoyl-acyl-carrier protein desaturase

SFA:

Saturated fatty acid(s)

STA:

Stearic acid (18:0)

TAG:

Triacylglycerol(s)

UI:

Unsaturation index

USFA:

Unsaturated fatty acid(s)

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Seed Bank of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Xishuangbanna Station for Tropical Rain Forest Ecosystem Studies (XSTRE) for assistance in sample collection and atmospheric temperature observation. We also thank Dr. Hongtao Li from the SW China Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany for his assistance in conducting quantitative real-time PCR. This work was financially supported by the Hundreds  of Talents Program from Chinese Academy of Sciences (To AL).

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resource and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 88 Xuefu Road, Kunming, 650223, China

    Xiaojuan Wang & Aizhong Liu

  2. Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650204, China

    Aizhong Liu

  3. Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Xiaojuan Wang

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  1. Xiaojuan Wang
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Correspondence to Aizhong Liu.

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Wang, X., Liu, A. Expression of Genes Controlling Unsaturated Fatty Acids Biosynthesis and Oil Deposition in Developing Seeds of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.). Lipids 49, 1019–1031 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-014-3938-z

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