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Abstract Detail



Biochemistry, metabolism, carbon flux

Mietkiewska, Elzbieta [1], Miles, Robin [2], Wickramarathna, Aruna [1], Firman Sahibollah, Ariff [3], Greer, Michael S. [2], Chen, Guanqun [2], Shah, Saleh [4], Weselake, Randall J. [1].

Development of punicic acid enriched oils in genetically modified plants.

Punicic acid (18:3Δ9cis,11trans,13cis) a main component of pomegranate (Punica granatum) seed oil has been shown to exhibit strong anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity properties. In addition, oils with conjugated double bonds, such as punicic acid, have potential use as industrial drying agents due to the increased rate of oxidation. Therefore, there is a growing interest to develop genetically engineered oilseeds enriched in punicic acid. The conjugated double bond in punicic acid is synthesized by the catalytic action of a fatty acid conjugase which is a divergent form of fatty acid desaturase (FAD)2 (FADX; AY178446). This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of the Δ12 double bond of linoleic acid (18:2Δ9cis,12cis) into two conjugated and trans-cis configured double bonds at the Δ11 and Δ13 positions. Earlier attempts to develop Arabidopsis thaliana oil enriched with punicic acid resulted in limited accumulation which was accompanied by an increase in the level of oleic acid (18:1D9cis). This may indicate that production of punicic acid was accompanied by a reduced activity of A. thaliana FAD2 desaturase. In the current study, a new approach for producing higher levels of punicic acid in A. thaliana was developed using a combined over-expression of P. granatum FADX and FAD2 (AY178447) in a high linoleic acid A. thaliana fad3fae1 double mutant background. This approach allowed to increase accumulation of punicic acid up to 21.2% of total fatty acids in the seed oil and helped to restore the natural level of oleic acid found in A. thaliana fad3/fae1 mutant seeds. New insights into the nature of the high-oleic acid phenotype and other factors limiting accumulation of punicic acid in genetically engineered plants will be discussed. New gene combinations for increased accumulation of punicic acid in A. thaliana seeds and progress on development of canola oil enriched in punicic acid will be discussed.


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1 - University of Alberta, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada
2 - University of Alberta, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science,, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre , Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada
3 - University of Alberta, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science,, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada
4 - University of Alberta, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada

Keywords:
Fatty acid
metabolic engineering.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 27
Location: Hall A/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Time: 8:45 AM
Number: 27004
Abstract ID:1067
Candidate for Awards:None


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