title: Metabolic engineering of medium-chain fatty acid biosynthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana plant leaf lipids.
abstract: Various research groups are investigating the production of oil in non-seed biomass such as leaves. Recently, high levels of oil accumulation have been achieved in plant biomass using a combination of biotechnological approaches which also resulted in significant changes to the fatty acid composition of the leaf oil. In this study, we were interested to determine whether medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) could be accumulated in leaf oil. MCFA are an ideal feedstock for biodiesel and a range of oleochemical products including lubricants, coatings, and detergents. In this study, we explore the synthesis, accumulation, and glycerolipid head-group distribution of MCFA in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana after transient transgenic expression of C12:0-, C14:0-, and C16:0-ACP thioesterase genes. We demonstrate that the production of these MCFA in leaf is increased by the co-expression of the WRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factor, with the lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) from Cocos nucifera being required for the assembly of tri-MCFA TAG species. We also demonstrate that the newly-produced MCFA are incorporated into the triacylglycerol of leaves in which WRI1 + diacylglycerol acyltransferase1 (DGAT1) genes are co-expressed for increased oil accumulation.
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship Acton, ACT, Australia ; NSW Department of Primary Industries, Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia ; ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Functional Grains, Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.
authors: Kyle B
authors: KB
authors: Reynolds
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship Acton, ACT, Australia.
authors: Matthew C
authors: MC
authors: Taylor
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship Acton, ACT, Australia.
authors: Xue-Rong
authors: XR
authors: Zhou
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship Acton, ACT, Australia.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Vanhercke
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship Acton, ACT, Australia.
authors: Craig C
authors: CC
authors: Wood
authors: ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Functional Grains, Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.
authors: Christopher L
authors: CL
authors: Blanchard
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship Acton, ACT, Australia.
authors: Surinder P
authors: SP
authors: Singh
authors: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship Acton, ACT, Australia.
authors: James R
authors: JR
authors: Petrie
keywords: Nicotiana; WRINKLED; fatty acid; medium chain; plant biomass; triacylglycerol