Poster: Seed biology

Abs # 715: Modification of seed oil content in soybean (Glycine max) by expression of a Mortierella ramanniana diacylglycerol acyltransferase.

Presenter:	Bennett, Kristen A., kristen.a.bennett@monsanto.com
Authors	Bennett, Kristen A. (A)   Lardizabal, Kathryn D (A)   Keithly, Greg E. (B)   Mai, Jennifer T. (A)   Hill, Elizabeth K. (B)   Ream, Joel E. (B)   Wagner, Nicholas N. (A)   Colletti, Ronald F. (B)   Crow, Laura J (C)
Affiliations:	(A): Monsanto Company, Calgene Campus (B): Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO (C): Monsanto Company, Agracetus Campus

Increased seed oil content of oilseed crops such as Canola, sunflower and soybean, has been a target trait of plant breeders for many years. Although modifications of seed fatty acid and amino acid composition have been accomplished through transgenic approaches, there are only a few reports of successful transgenic modification of seed oil content in any crop, and none in the world’s leading oilseed crop, soybean. Here we report the first successful transgenic modification to increase soybean seed oil content. This was achieved by modification of a single enzymatic step in the triacylglycerol biosynthetic pathway, the acylation of the sn-3 position of diacylglycerol to form triacylglycerol, by the seed-specific expression of a Mortierella ramanniana diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT). This single gene addition significantly increases oil content without impacting protein, is heritable and stable in multiple environments and germplasms.