Increasing renewable oil production in plants including soybeans - 1737
- *Abstract
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Overview
Theproduction of seed oils from various plants to be used as a feedstock for oilis growing in popularity. This market is dominated by the utilization of seedoil from palm, soybean, canola, and sunflower plants. Overall, soybeans are themost heavily used plant for seed oil, however the oil only makes up a smallpercentage of the plants dry weight. Soybeans contain 20% seed oil and 40%protein, whereas canola and palm oils both contain over 50% seed oil. Thus, there is aneed to develop methods that will increase the percentage of seed oil insoybean plants, while also maintaining their protein content so that soybeansmay still be used as a protein source.
Invention
UK researchers are developing a method to increase the percentage of seed oil insideplants. In this method, the cells from the plant of interest are transformedwith Vernonia galamensisdiacylgyverol acyltransferase 1 (VgDGAT1). When the VgDGAT1 polypeptide isoverexpressed, the amount of oil in the plant is increased by at least 2-3% andup to 5%. This increase in seed oil or triacylglycerol level occurs withoutalteration to the level of protein within the plant.
Applications
- crop science
- industrial feedstocks
Advantages
- increases the percent of seed oil in plants
- does not alter plant protein levels
- may be used to increase production of renewableplant seed oils
IP Status: U.S. Patent No. 9,133,469
- Country/Region
- USA
