Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Cereal Crops Improvement Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #422041
Research Project: Improvement of Disease and Pest Resistance in Barley, Durum, Oat, and Wheat Using Genetics and Genomics

Location: Cereal Crops Improvement Research

Title: Metabolic engineering of lipid biosynthesis enhances oil composition in oat

Author
item ZHOU, ZHOU - McGill University - Canada
item KAUR, RAJVINDER - McGill University - Canada
item DONOSO, THOMAS - McGill University - Canada
item Ohm, Jae-Bom
item Gupta, Rajeev
item LEFSRUD, MARK - McGill University - Canada
item SINGH, JASWINDER - McGill University - Canada

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/16/2024
Publication Date: 1/13/2025
Citation: Zhou, Z., Kaur, R., Donoso, T., Ohm, J., Gupta, R., Lefsrud, M., Singh, J. 2025. Metabolic engineering of lipid biosynthesis enhances oil composition in oat. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The endeavor to elevate the nutritional value of oat (Avena sativa) by altering the oil composition and content position it as an optimal crop for fostering human health and animal feed. However, optimization of oil traits on oat through conventional breeding is challenging due to its quantitative nature and complexity of the oat genome. We introduced two constructs containing three key genes integral to lipid biosynthesis and/or regulatory pathways from Arabidopsis (AtWRI1 and AtDGAT1) and Sesame (SiOLEOSIN) into the oat cultivar ‘Park’ to modify the fatty acid composition. Four homozygous transgenic lines were generated with a transformation frequency of 7%. The expression of these introduced genes initiated a comprehensive transcriptional reprogramming in oat grains and leaves. Notably, endogenous DGAT, WRI1, and OLEOSIN genes experienced upregulation, while genes associated with fatty acid biosynthesis, such as KASII, SACPD, and FAD2, displayed antagonistic expression patterns between oat grains and leaves. Transcriptomic analyses highlighted significant differential gene expression, particularly enriched in lipid metabolism. Comparing the transgenic oat plants with the wild type, we observed a remarkable increase of up to 34% in oleic acid content in oat grains. Furthermore, there were marked improvements in the total oil content in oat leaves, as well as primary metabolites changes in both oat grains and leaves, while maintaining homeostasis in the transgenic oat plants. These findings underscore the effectiveness of genetic engineering in manipulating oat oil composition and content, offering promising implications for human consumption and animal feeding through oat crop improvement programs.