The ectopic expression of the wheat Puroindoline genes increase germ size and seed oil content in transgenic corn.
Plant oil content and composition improvement is a major goal of plant breeding and biotechnology. The Puroindoline a and b (PINA and PINB) proteins together control whether wheat seeds are soft or hard textured and share a similar structure to that of plant non-specific lipid-transfer proteins. Here we transformed corn (Zea mays L.) with the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) puroindoline genes (Pina and Pinb) to assess their effects upon seed oil content and quality. Pina and Pinb coding sequences were introduced into corn under the control of a corn Ubiquitin promoter. Three Pina/Pinb expression positive transgenic events were evaluated over two growing seasons. The results showed that Pin expression increased germ size significantly without negatively impacting seed size. Germ yield increased 33.8% while total seed oil content was increased by 25.23%. Seed oil content increases were primarily the result of increased germ size. This work indicates that higher oil content corn hybrids having increased food or feed value could be produced via puroindoline expression.
Zhang
Jinrui
J
Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, 119 Plant Bioscience Building, Bozeman, MT 59717-3150, USA. zhang@montana.edu
Martin
John M
JM
Beecher
Brian
B
Lu
Chaofu
C
Hannah
L Curtis
LC
Wall
Michael L
ML
Altosaar
Illimar
I
Giroux
Michael J
MJ
D003314:Corn Oil / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012639:Seeds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
D010940:Plant Proteins; C082942:puroindoline protein, Triticum aestivum; D003314:Corn Oil