Poster: Metabolic Engineering

Abs # 1017: Over-Expression Of The Ice Pant-Derived Gene For myo-Inositol Methyltransferase Reduces Phytic Acid Accumulation In Canola Seeds.

Presenter:	Georges, Fawzy , Fawzy.Georges@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Authors	Georges, Fawzy  (A)   Hussain, Atta A (A) (B)  Dong, Jinzhuo  (C)   Patterson, Thomas  (B)   Webb, Steve  (B)   Keller, Wilf A (A)
Affiliations:	(A): Plant Biotechnology Institute, National Research Council Canada (B): Dow AgroSciences, Inc. (C): Monsanto Company

Phytic acid (myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate, IP6) is the main phosphate reserve in most plant seeds. However, due to its chemical nature, the phytate molecule is highly negatively charged and is capable of chelating a wide variety of organic as well as inorganic cations such as proteins and minerals. The strong chelating properties of IP6 contribute largely to its classification as an antinutritional component of animal feedstuffs. Thus, in absence of phytate-degrading enzymes, most monogastric animals are incapable of digesting IP6, which gets passed into the environment as waste. The development of seed-crops with reduced phytate levels should, therefore, have potential value in both dietary and waste management applications. We have designed a molecular approach, in which the gene for myo-inositol methyltransferase (IMT), isolated from M. crystallinum, was transferred into B. napus, thereby resulting in decreased phytic acid accumulation through the shunting of myo-inositol into the corresponding methyl ether, ononitol.