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DGAT1, DGAT2 and PDAT Expression in Seeds and Other Tissues of Epoxy and Hydroxy Fatty Acid Accumulating Plants

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Lipids

Abstract

Triacylglycerol (TAG) is the main storage lipid in plants. Acyl-CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1 and DGAT2) and phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) can catalyze TAG synthesis. It is unclear how these three independent genes are regulated in developing seeds, and particularly if they have specific functions in the high accumulation of unusual fatty acids in seed oil. The expression patterns of DGAT1, DGAT2 and a PDAT in relation to the accumulation of oil and epoxy and hydroxy fatty acids in developing seeds of the plant species Vernonia galamensis, Euphorbia lagascae, Stokesia laevis and castor that accumulate high levels of these fatty acids in comparison with soybean and Arabidopsis were investigated. The expression patterns of DGAT1, DGAT2 and the PDAT are consistent with all three enzymes playing a role in the high epoxy or hydroxy fatty acid accumulation in developing seeds of these plants. PDAT and DGAT2 transcript levels are present at much higher levels in developing seeds of epoxy and hydroxy fatty acid accumulating plants than in soybeans or Arabidopsis. Moreover, PDAT, DGAT1 and DGAT2 are found to be expressed in many different plant tissues, suggesting that these enzymes may have other roles in addition to seed oil accumulation. DGAT1 appears to be a major enzyme for seed oil accumulation at least in Arabidopsis and soybeans. For the epoxy and hydroxy fatty acid accumulating plants, DGAT2 and PDAT also show expression patterns consistent with a role in the selective accumulation of these unusual fatty acids in seed oil.

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Abbreviations

AtDGAT1/2:

Arabidopsis thaliana DGAT1/2

AtPDAT:

Arabidopsis thaliana PDAT

BHT:

Butylated hydroxytoluene or butylhydroxytoluene

DAF:

Days after flowering

DAG:

sn-1,2-diacylglycerol

DGAT1:

Type 1 acyl-CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase

DGAT2:

Type 2 acyl-CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase

ER:

Endoplasmic reticulum

LCAT:

Lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase

PDAT:

Phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase

RcDGAT1/2:

Ricinus communis DGAT1/2

RcPDAT1A:

Ricinus communis PDAT1A

ScPDAT:

Saccharomyces cerevisiae PDAT

TAG:

Triacylglycerol

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the United Soybean Board, Ashland Chemicals, the Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation, the Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research, and the Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board. We gratefully acknowledge John Johnson for his technical support.

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  1. Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Kentucky, 1405 Veterans Dr., Lexington, KY, 40546, USA

    Runzhi Li, Keshun Yu & David F. Hildebrand

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  1. Runzhi Li
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  2. Keshun Yu
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  3. David F. Hildebrand
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Correspondence to David F. Hildebrand.

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R. Li and K. Yu contributed equally to this work.

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Li, R., Yu, K. & Hildebrand, D.F. DGAT1, DGAT2 and PDAT Expression in Seeds and Other Tissues of Epoxy and Hydroxy Fatty Acid Accumulating Plants. Lipids 45, 145–157 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-010-3385-4

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