Methods for increasing oil content in plant tissues by suppressing hydrophobic lipid droplet protein
Inventors
CHAPMAN, Kent • Mullen, Robert • Pyc, Michal • Dyer, John M.
Assignees
US Department of Agriculture USDA • University of North Texas
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Publication Number
US-10308950-B2
Publication Date
2019-06-04
Expiration Date
2037-06-15
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to increasing oil content in plants through manipulating expression of proteins, namely At5g16550 proteins. At5g16550 proteins are lipid droplet proteins. Plants having reduced expression of At5g16550 proteins demonstrate cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs) that are increased in size, resulting in greater overall oil content in the plant cells.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to increasing oil content in plant cells by manipulating the expression of proteins, specifically the At5g16550 protein or its homologs. At5g16550 is a lipid droplet-associated protein found in Arabidopsis and other plants, characterized by the presence of a mycobacterial membrane protein large (MMPL) domain involved in lipid transport. Reduction or elimination of the expression of At5g16550 results in enlarged cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs) and increased neutral lipid content within plant cells.
The problem addressed is the desirability of increasing oil content in plant tissues, particularly for high-value oils produced by plants. Cytoplasmic LDs serve as organelles that store neutral lipids such as triacylglycerols, and their regulation impacts oil accumulation. The patent identifies that At5g16550 plays a regulatory role in lipid droplet size and oil accumulation, and that suppressing this protein leads to enlarged LDs and increased oil content, thus providing a method to enhance oil yield in plants.
Preferred embodiments include transgenic plants or seeds with reduced expression of At5g16550 or its homologs, resulting in larger lipid droplets and higher overall oil content. The disclosure also indicates that overexpression of At5g16550 increases lipid droplet number, suggesting modulation of this protein can control LD biogenesis and oil accumulation. Though studies focus on Arabidopsis, homologs are conserved across various plant species, implying applicability to multiple oilseed crops.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims covering methods of producing modified plants with increased oil content or lipid droplet volume, and the modified plants themselves carrying mutations that suppress At5g16550 or homologs.
Method for increasing oil content by mutation of At5g16550 or homologs
Introducing a mutation into a gene encoding a protein with an MMPL-like domain, specifically At5g16550 or a homolog, resulting in reduced or eliminated expression of this protein in plant cells, thereby increasing oil content or cytoplasmic lipid droplet volume compared to unmodified plants of the same species.
Modified plant harboring suppressed expression of At5g16550 homologs
A plant having mutations in a gene homologous to At5g16550 encoding a protein with an MMPL-like domain, where the mutation reduces or eliminates expression of the protein, leading to increased oil content or enlarged cytoplasmic lipid droplets in the plant cells.
The claims cover both the method of genetically modifying plants to reduce At5g16550 or its homolog expression for increased oil accumulation and the resulting plants with such genetic modifications that exhibit enlarged lipid droplets and higher oil content.
Stated Advantages
Increased overall oil content in plant cells and seeds through enlarged lipid droplets.
Ability to enhance oil accumulation in a variety of plant tissues including leaves and seeds.
Applicability to multiple plant species, including important oilseed crops, due to conservation of At5g16550 homologs.
Documented Applications
Production of transgenic plants and seeds with increased oil content via suppression of At5g16550 or homologous genes.
Enhancement of oil yield in oilseed crops such as canola, Camelina, soybean, sunflower, safflower, cotton, palm, coconut, and peanut.
Manipulation of lipid droplet size and abundance in plant leaves and seeds to regulate neutral lipid storage.
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