ISSN:
1572-9788
Keywords:
glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase
;
phosphatidylglycerol
;
chilling tolerance
;
transformation
;
fatty acid composition
;
Oryza sativa L.
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract The chilling sensitivity of several plant species is closely correlated with the levels of unsaturation of fatty acids in the phosphatidylglycerol (PG) of chloroplast membranes. Plants with a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, are resistant to chilling, whereas species like squash with only a low proportion are rather sensitive to chilling. The glycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase (GPAT) enzyme of chloroplasts plays an important role in determining the levels of PG fatty acid desaturation. A cDNA for oleate-selective GPAT of Arabidopsis under the control of a maize Ubiquitin promoter was introduced into rice (Oryza sativa L.) using the Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer method. The levels of unsaturated fatty acids in the phosphatidylglycerol of transformed rice leaves were found to be 28% higher than that of untransformed controls. The net photosynthetic rate of leaves of transformed rice plants was 20% higher than that of the wild type at 17°C. Thus, introduction of cDNA for the Arabidopsis GPAT causes greater unsaturation of fatty acids and confers chilling tolerance of photosynthesis on rice.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1009671231614
