Developmental Regulation of Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase Family Gene Expression in Tung Tree Tissues

Diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) catalyze the final and rate-limiting step of triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis in eukaryotic organisms. DGAT genes have been identified in numerous organisms. Multiple isoforms of DGAT are present in eukaryotes. We previously cloned DGAT1 and DGAT2 genes of tung tree (Vernicia fordii), whose novel seed TAGs are useful in a wide range of industrial applications. The objective of this study was to understand the developmental regulation of DGAT family gene expression in tung tree. To this end, we first cloned a tung tree gene encoding DGAT3, a putatively soluble form of DGAT that possesses 11 completely conserved amino acid residues shared among 27 DGAT3s from 19 plant species. Unlike DGAT1 and DGAT2 subfamilies, DGAT3 is absent from animals. We then used TaqMan and SYBR Green quantitative real-time PCR, along with northern and western blotting, to study the expression patterns of the three DGAT genes in tung tree tissues. Expression results demonstrate that 1) all three isoforms of DGAT genes are expressed in developing seeds, leaves and flowers; 2) DGAT2 is the major DGAT mRNA in tung seeds, whose expression profile is well-coordinated with the oil profile in developing tung seeds; and 3) DGAT3 is the major form of DGAT mRNA in tung leaves, flowers and immature seeds prior to active tung oil biosynthesis. These results suggest that DGAT2 is probably the major TAG biosynthetic isoform in tung seeds and that DGAT3 gene likely plays a significant role in TAG metabolism in other tissues. Therefore, DGAT2 should be a primary target for tung oil engineering in transgenic organisms.     

The domestic tung industry. I. Production and improvement of the tung tree

In 1904 the American Consul General at Hankow, China sent seed of tung (Aleurites fordii) to the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture at Chico, California. One tree planted near Tallahassee, Florida in 1907, produced a crop of fruit in 1913, from which the first 2.2 gallons of American tung oil were extracted. By 1930, nearly 8000 acres of tung orchard had been planted in Florida, and extensive plantings were made in Mississippi and Louisiana. By 1938 there were approximately 200,000 acres of tung orchards in the southeastern United States. Today the tung industry is hard-pressed to meet competition from substitutes and from importations. American tung growers are striving to get their industry on a sound economic basis by lowering their cost of production and widening the market for tung oil.     

Engineering the production of conjugated fatty acids in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves

The seeds of many nondomesticated plant species synthesize oils containing high amounts of a single unusual fatty acid, many of which have potential usage in industry. Despite the identification of enzymes for unusual oxidized fatty acid synthesis, the production of these fatty acids in engineered seeds remains low and is often hampered by their inefficient exclusion from phospholipids. Recent studies have established the feasibility of increasing triacylglycerol content in plant leaves, which provides a novel approach for increasing energy density of biomass crops. Here, we determined whether the fatty acid composition of leaf oil could be engineered to accumulate unusual fatty acids. Eleostearic acid (ESA) is a conjugated fatty acid produced in seeds of the tung tree (Vernicia fordii) and has both industrial and nutritional end‐uses. Arabidopsis thaliana lines with elevated leaf oil were first generated by transforming wild‐type, cgi‐58 or pxa1 mutants (the latter two of which contain mutations disrupting fatty acid breakdown) with the diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT1 or DGAT2) and/or oleosin genes from tung. High‐leaf‐oil plant lines were then transformed with tung FADX, which encodes the fatty acid desaturase/conjugase responsible for ESA synthesis. Analysis of lipids in leaves revealed that ESA was efficiently excluded from phospholipids, and co‐expression of tung FADX and DGAT2 promoted a synergistic increase in leaf oil content and ESA accumulation. Taken together, these results provide a new approach for increasing leaf oil content that is coupled with accumulation of unusual fatty acids. Implications for production of biofuels, bioproducts, and plant–pest interactions are discussed.     

油菜品质育种现状及展望

国际油菜品质改良始于20世纪60年代,以降低油菜籽中芥酸和硫代葡萄糖苷为主要目标.随着历史的不断发展,油菜的品质改良已不再局限于这两个指标.在食用油方面,已将提高油酸、亚油酸含量,降低饱和脂肪酸和亚麻酸含量作为今后的主攻方向,使之成为最健康的食用油;在工业用油方面,高芥酸和中等长度的脂肪酸改良已逐渐展开.今后常规育种、杂种优势利用和生物技术的有机结合,将使油菜品种的改良进入到一个新的阶段.     

白鱀豚额隆油的研究——Ⅰ.额隆油的脂肪酸组成

世界珍稀水兽白豚(Lipotes vexillifer.)是我国名贵特产之一,属齿鲸亚目(Odontoceti),淡水豚总科(Platanistoidea),白鱀豚科(Lipotidae)。白鱀豚生活在长江中、下游。借回声定位系统以探知外界情况(荆显英等,1981)。通常认为,在声发射过程中,齿鲸类饱含油分的额隆组织起着声透镜的作用。额隆的这种特殊生理机能,与其所含脂质的脂肪酸组成密切相关。1980年陆佩洪等报道了白鱀豚额隆油的酸价、碘价、皂化价、不皂化物及甘油三酯(比色法)的含量。有关白鱀豚额隆油的脂肪酸组成,迄今尚未研究。目前我们才开始进行该项工作。     

基于油桐种子3个不同发育时期转录组的油脂合成代谢途径分析

油桐是我国重要的木本油料植物, 过去对油桐的研究主要集中于栽培和常规育种, 与油桐种仁油脂合成相关的分子机理研究还未见报道。文章采用RNA-seq技术对油桐种子油脂合成的3个不同时期的转录组进行比较, 获得了大量差异表达的Unigene序列。在此基础上, 通过GO分类和Pathway富集性分析将这些差异表达Unigene归类于128个代谢途径, 其中包含与油脂合成相关的脂肪酸生物合成和甘油磷脂代谢途径。桐酸经脂肪酸生物合成途径合成后通过甘油磷脂代谢途径以桐油的形式贮存。将这两个代谢途径的Unigene序列在KEGG数据库中进行比对, 获得了一些关键酶的同源蛋白质。文章通过对编码这些同源蛋白质的基因在油桐种子油脂合成期的表达模式进行分析, 以期为油桐油脂合成, 尤其是桐酸合成机理的解析提供理论参考, 并为油桐的遗传改良提供潜在的基因资源, 从而提高油桐的单位面积产量。     

转录组测序揭示油桐脂肪酸的合成途径

油桐是我国重要的木本油料植物,过去对油桐的研究主要集中于栽培和常规育种,与油桐种仁油脂合成相关的分子机理研究还未见报道。本研究采用转录组测序（RNA-Seq）技术,比较了油桐种子油脂合成3个不同时期的转录组,获得了大量差异表达的Unigene序列。通过GO（GeneOntology）分类和代谢途径富集性分析将这些差异表达的Unigene归类于包含脂肪酸生物合成途径在内的128个代谢途径。随后将脂肪酸生物合成途径中的54个Unigene序列在KEGG（KyotoEncyclopediaofGenesandGenomes）数据库中进行比对,获得了14个关键酶的同源蛋白质。本研究通过对编码这些同源蛋白质的基因在油桐种子油脂合成期的表达模式进行分析,以期为油桐油脂合成,尤其是桐酸合成机理的解析提供理论参考,并为进一步的理论研究和油桐的遗传改良提供潜在的基因资源,从而提高油桐的单位面积产量。     

Development and Leaf Consumption by Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Reared on Leaves of Agroenergy Crops

Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest that threatens more than 24 species of crop plants including those used for biodiesel production such as Ricinus communis (castor bean), Jatropha curcas (Barbados nut), and Aleurites fordii (tung oil tree). The development and leaf consumption by S. cosmioides reared on leaves of these three species were studied under controlled laboratory conditions. The egg-to-adult development time of S. cosmioides was shortest when reared on castor bean leaves and longest when reared on tung oil tree leaves. Larvae reared on castor bean and Barbados nut leaves had seven instars, whereas those reared on tung oil tree leaves had eight. Females originating from larvae reared on castor bean and Barbados nut leaves showed greater fecundity than did females originating from larvae reared on tung oil tree leaves. Insects fed on castor bean leaves had shorter life spans than those fed on tung oil tree and Barbados nut leaves although the oviposition period did not differ significantly. The intrinsic and finite rates of increase were highest for females reared on castor bean leaves. Total leaf consumption was highest for larvae reared on tung oil tree leaves and lowest for those reared on Barbados nut leaves. We conclude that castor bean is a more appropriate host plant for the development of S. cosmioides than are Barbados nut and tung oil tree.     

Tung tree DGAT1 and DGAT2 have nonredundant functions in triacylglycerol biosynthesis and are localized to different subdomains of the endoplasmic reticulum

Seeds of the tung tree (Vernicia fordii) produce large quantities of triacylglycerols (TAGs) containing approximately 80% eleostearic acid, an unusual conjugated fatty acid. We present a comparative analysis of the genetic, functional, and cellular properties of tung type 1 and type 2 diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT1 and DGAT2), two unrelated enzymes that catalyze the committed step in TAG biosynthesis. We show that both enzymes are encoded by single genes and that DGAT1 is expressed at similar levels in various organs, whereas DGAT2 is strongly induced in developing seeds at the onset of oil biosynthesis. Expression of DGAT1 and DGAT2 in yeast produced different types and proportions of TAGs containing eleostearic acid, with DGAT2 possessing an enhanced propensity for the synthesis of trieleostearin, the main component of tung oil. Both DGAT1 and DGAT2 are located in distinct, dynamic regions of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and surprisingly, these regions do not overlap. Furthermore, although both DGAT1 and DGAT2 contain a similar C-terminal pentapeptide ER retrieval motif, this motif alone is not sufficient for their localization to specific regions of the ER. These data suggest that DGAT1 and DGAT2 have nonredundant functions in plants and that the production of storage oils, including those containing unusual fatty acids, occurs in distinct ER subdomains.     

3种不同油桐种仁蛋白质提取方法比较研究

一种有效的蛋白质提取方法是蛋白质双向电泳成功分离的关键。油桐种仁可以用来制取工业用桐油,但其中富含大量的能干扰蛋白质提取的物质,并能影响双向电泳图谱的分辨率。本文中对油桐种仁蛋白质采用丙酮提取（方法A）、苯酚抽提（方法B）以及丙酮—苯酚结合提取（方法C）,并通过蛋白质双向电泳技术对这3种方法的提取效果进行比较研究。结果显示：采用方法C所提取的蛋白质样品,其蛋白浓度高达到8.1 μg·μL^-1;并且该方法对油桐种仁中的高分子量、低分子量蛋白均有较强的提取能力;此外,其蛋白样品经过双向电泳所得到的蛋白质点和图谱分辨率也较其余两种方法好。     

抗油桐枯萎病木霉菌的分离鉴定及抑菌作用研究

油桐是我国重要的木本油料植物,其生产的桐油作为天然的优良干性油在工业上具有广泛用途。但由油桐专化型尖孢镰孢菌Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fordiis（Fof-1）侵染引起的枯萎病给油桐产业造成了毁灭性灾害,目前尚无有效防治手段。众多实践证明,利用生防菌可以有效防治土传枯萎病。本研究发现,在抗病油桐根围土壤中木霉菌的相对丰度较高,并从中分离获得了16株木霉菌;通过形态学鉴定和ITS-TEF1双基因联合构建系统进化树,鉴定出4种木霉菌：拟康宁木霉Trichoderma koningiopsis（TkonT1）、螺旋木霉T. spirale（TspiT2）、深绿木霉T. atroviride（TatrT3）和哈茨木霉T. harzianum（TharT4）;通过对峙培养试验,发现木霉菌株TkonT1、TharT4和TspiT2具有较好的抑菌效果;进一步显微观察发现菌株TkonT1和TatrT3可缠绕在尖孢镰孢菌菌丝体上或穿入菌丝体内营寄生生长,吸收病菌菌丝体养分进而导致病菌菌丝体破裂和细胞原生质消解。结果表明,从抗病油桐根围土壤中获得的拮抗木霉菌株可用于油桐枯萎病的生物防治。     

The oil of Adenanthera pavonina L. seeds and its emulsions

The oil of Adenanthera pavonina L. seeds was analysed by chromatographic and instrumental means. The oil was found to be rich in neutral lipids (86.2%), and low in polar lipids (13.8%). The neutral lipids consisted mainly of triacylglycerols (64.2%). Unsaturated fatty acids were found as high as 71%, while the percentage of saturated fatty acids was only 29%. GC and GC/MS analyses revealed linoleic, oleic and lignocerotic acid to be predominant among all fatty acids in the A. pavonina oil, whereas stigmasterol was the major steroid identified within this study. Subsequently, the oil was used for preparation of submicron oil-in-water (o/w) lipid emulsions. Lipid emulsions were formulated by using soybean lecithin (SL) to investigate their particle size, Zeta potential and stability at the different oil and SL ratios. The results obtained indicate possible applications of the tested oil in pharmaceutical and medical fields as drug and cosmetic active ingredient carriers.     

An ultraviolet spectrophotometric assay for the screening of sn-2-specific lipases using 1,3-O-dioleoyl-2-O-α-eleostearoyl-sn-glycerol as substrate

In the present study, we propose a continuous assay for the screening of sn-2 lipases by using triacylglycerols (TAGs) from Aleurites fordii seed (tung oil) and a synthetic TAG containing the α-eleostearic acid at the sn-2 position and the oleic acid (OA) at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions [1,3-O-dioleoyl-2-O-α-eleostearoyl-sn-glycerol (sn-OEO)]. Each TAG was coated into a microplate well, and the lipase activity was measured by optical density increase at 272 nm due to transition of α-eleostearic acid from the adsorbed to the soluble state. The sn-1,3-regioselective lipases human pancreatic lipase (HPL), LIP2 lipase from Yarrowia lipolytica (YLLIP2), and a known sn-2 lipase, Candida antarctica lipase A (CALA) were used to validate this method. TLC analysis of lipolysis products showed that the lipases tested were able to hydrolyze the sn-OEO and the tung oil TAGs, but only CALA hydrolyzed the sn-2 position. The ratio of initial velocities on sn-OEO and tung oil TAGs was used to estimate the sn-2 preference of lipases. CALA was the enzyme with the highest ratio (0.22 ± 0.015), whereas HPL and YLLIP2 showed much lower ratios (0.072 ± 0.026 and 0.038 ± 0.016, respectively). This continuous sn-2 lipase assay is compatible with a high sample throughput and thus can be applied to the screening of sn-2 lipases.     

Isolation and composition of the carotenoid-containing oil droplets from cone photoreceptors.

A procedure for isolating the carotenoid-containing oil droplets of cone retinal photoreceptors of Gallus domesticus is described. The oil droplets, composed almost entirely of neutral lipids and carotenoids, have been separated into ten chromatographic components. Similar separations have been carried out on the total retinal neutral lipids for comparison. The neutral lipids represented 26.1% of the total retinal lipid. Cholesterol, cholesterol ester, mono-, di- and triacylglycerols represented 92.6% of the total neutral lipid. Each of these and other minor neutral lipid components were also present in the lipids extracted from the isolated oil droplets in correspondingly similar concentrations. However, the concentrations of carotenoids were greatly enriched in the neutral lipids of the oil droplets. Each of the major fatty acyl-containing neutral lipids from the chromatography of oil droplet lipids is greatly enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids when compared with the corresponding component from the total neutral lipid chromatography. In the acylglycerols and free fatty acid fraction from the oil droplets, linoleic and arachidonic acid together represented 52-83% of the total polyunsaturated fatty acids present. The remainder was generally distributed about equally among six other acids. Except for the diacylglycerol fraction, linoleic acid was usually the most enriched acid in a specific oil droplet fraction when compared with any other polyunsaturated fatty acids. A similar pattern of polyunsaturated fatty acid enrichment observed in the fatty acids of the outer segment phospholipids relative to the corresponding total phospholipid fractions of this cone rich retina (Johnston, D. and Hudson, R.A. (1974) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 369, 269) suggest possible metabolic relationships between the oil droplet neutral lipids and the outer segment membrane phospholipids of the cone photoreceptors. A mechanism for the accumulation of the carotenoids in the oil droplets is also discussed.     

Fatty Acid Composition of Baobab Seed and Its Relationship with the Genus Adansonia Taxonomy

Baobab seed oil contains specific fatty acids. Most of the studies on baobab fatty acids have been carried out singly and in isolation from each other, making it difficult to compare results through different species. The objective of the present study is to establish the seed fatty acid composition of each Adansonia species in order to evaluate and understand the relationships between the oil chemical compositions, the baobabs’ taxonomy and, the ecological and geographical origin of each seed lot. The seed oils have been analysed using gas chromatography (GC). The oils of all baobab species contain three major fatty acids: palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. They also contain specific fatty acids such as cyclopropenic and cyclopropanic acids, which are characteristic of the Malvaceae family seed oils. It was possible to distinguish three sections through principal components analysis using the eleven fatty acids identified by GC. The Adansonia section contains high rates of oleic acid (± 35%), the Brevitubae section is rich in palmitic acid (± 42%) and the Longitubae section contains high levels of dihydrosterulic acid (± 5%). The oil fatty acid composition, however, does not enable a definitive characterization of profiles according to species. The fatty acid composition is not significantly influenced by the geographical, soil and climate conditions of the collection sites.