Nucleic acid constructs and methods for producing altered seed oil compositions

Abstract

The present invention is in the field of plant genetics and provides recombinant nucleic acid molecules, constructs, and other agents associated with the coordinate manipulation of multiple genes in the fatty acid synthesis pathway. In particular, the agents of the present invention are associated with the simultaneous enhanced expression of certain genes in the fatty acid synthesis pathway and suppressed expression of certain other genes in the same pathway. Also provided are plants incorporating such agents, and in particular plants incorporating such constructs where the plants exhibit altered seed oil compositions.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 365,794 filed Mar. 21, 2002, and No. 60 / 390,185 filed Jun. 21, 2002, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING [0002] A paper copy of the Sequence Listing and a computer readable form of the sequence listing on diskette, containing the file named “OmniSeq for US.txt”, which is 45,810 bytes in size (measured in MS-DOS), and which was recorded on Mar. 21, 2003, are herein incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention is directed to recombinant nucleic acid molecules, constructs, and other agents associated with the coordinate manipulation of multiple genes in the fatty acid synthesis pathway. In particular, the agents of the present invention are associated with the simultaneous enhanced expression of certain genes in the fatty acid synthesis pathway a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] Further provided by the present invention is a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a first set of DNA sequences that is capable, when expressed in a host cell, of forming a dsRNA construct and suppressing the endogenous expression of at least one, preferably two, genes selected from the group consisting of FAD2, FAD3, and FA TB genes, where the first set of DNA sequences comprises a first non-coding sequence that expresses a first RNA sequence that exhibits at least 90% identity to a non-coding region of a FAD2 gene, a first antisense sequence that expresses a first antisense RNA sequence capable of forming a double-stranded RNA molecule with the first RNA sequence, a second non-coding sequence that expresses a second RNA sequence that exhibits at least 90% identity to a non-coding region of a FAD3 gene, and a second antisense sequence that expresses a second antisense RNA sequence capable of forming a double-stranded RNA molecule with the second RNA sequence; and a second set of DNA sequences that is capable, when expressed in a host cell, of increasing the endogenous expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase I gene, a beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase IV gene, and a delta-9 desaturase gene.

[0014] The present invention provides methods of transforming plants with these recombinant nucleic acid molecules. The methods include a method of producing a transformed plant having seed with an increased oleic acid content, reduced saturated fatty acid content, and reduced polyunsaturated fatty acid content, comprising (A) transforming a plant cell with a recombinant nucleic acid molecule which comprises a first set of DNA sequences that is capable, when expressed in a host cell, of suppressing the endogenous expression of at least one, preferably two, genes selected from the group consisting of FAD2, FAD3, and FATB genes, and a second set of DNA sequences that is capable, when expressed in a host cell, of increasing the endogenous expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase I gene, a beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase IV gene, and a delta-9 desaturase gene; and (B) growing the transformed plant, where the transformed plant produces seed with an increased oleic acid content, reduced saturated fatty acid content, and reduced polyunsaturated fatty acid content relative to seed from a plant having a similar genetic background but lacking the recombinant nucleic acid molecule.

[0015] Further provided are methods of transforming plant cells with the recombinant nucleic acid molecules. The methods include a method of altering the oil composition of a plant cell comprising (A) transforming a plant cell with a recombinant nucleic acid molecule which comprises a first set of DNA sequences that is capable, when expressed in a host cell, of suppressing the endogenou

Problems solved by technology

However, a soybean oil that is broadly beneficial to major soybean oil users such as consumers of salad oil, cooking oil and frying oil, and industrial markets such as biodiesel and biolube markets, is not available.

Prior soybean oils were either too expensive or lacked an important food quality property such as oxidative stability, good fried food flavor or saturated fat content, or an important biodiesel property such as appropriate nitric oxide emissions or cold tolerance or cold flow.

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