Identification of Proteins Associated with Changes in the Linolenate Content of Soybean Cotyledons

Abstract

The relatively high content of linolenate in soybean seeds has been considered as a major factor resulting in oxidative and flavor instability of soybean oil. Various approaches have been undertaken in attempts to manipulate the linolenate content in soybean seeds. Reduction of linolenate biosynthesis due to a substituted pyridazinone (4-chloro, 5-dimethylamino, 2-phenyl-3 (2H) pyridazinone, also San 9785) was reported in soybean cotyledons developing in vitro.¹ Mutants with a lower linolenate content have been identified in soybeans. Of these, the mutant C1640 has about a 50% reduction of linolenate content in mature seeds and this low linolenate mutation is controlled by one nuclear locus.² This report presents a comparison of the effects of San 9785 and the mutation (C1640) on the reduction of linolenate content and compares the chemical and mutation effects on protein synthesis in order to identify the gene products associated with the regulation of linolenate production in developing soybean cotyledons.