Jan Jaworski, Ph.D., Biochemistry,
Purdue University
Eliot Herman, Ph.D., Biology, Oilseeds as chemical factories.
University of California, San Diego Seeds are a plant’s storage organ.
Altering seed composition by
They accumulate oil to provide
design. One of the oldest and most
the energy and carbon necessary
important agricultural problems is
for a germinating seed to grow
how seed composition is specified
into a plant. A major focus of
and subsequently how it can be
the Jaworski lab is to explore the
altered to improve the nutritional
capacity of seeds to accumulate
value of foods and feeds. Ever since
useful molecules for industrial
humankind began domesticating
applications using biotechnology
crop plants amazing progress
to reprogram seed metabolism. In
has been made to increase seed
addition, the Jaworski lab focuses
yield but much less progress
on obtaining a basic understanding
has been made in altering seed
of pathways involved in plant lipid
composition. The ability to alter
synthesis.
seed composition by design would
One of these projects involves the
have profound implications for
synthesis of terminal or w-hydroxy
the efficient production of foods,
fatty acids. These fatty acids are
feeds, biofuel, fibers and other
unusual in nature but have the
products that seeds produce.
potential be used as feed stocks for
Current research is directed at
polymers. We have also targeted to
understanding the processes that
seeds the genes for the synthesis
Bottom Photo:
control seed composition focusing
of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA),
An interpretation of the morphology
predominantly on legume seeds.
a biodegradable plastic. We are
of the key features of a tubular
endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
This work will result in the creation
interested in understanding the
segment assembling an ER-body of novel seed traits including seeds
consequence of diverting acetyl-
is shown (from Herman 2008, with low allergen content, fish-feed
CoA into PHA synthesis and away
Current Opinion in Plant Biology).
specific soybeans, and seeds that
from other cellular metabolism
Plant ER bodies can contain
serve as protein bio-factories. The
such as fatty acid synthesis. Finally
cereal seed storage proteins, seed
latter may lead to use of seeds for
we are attempting to synthesize
oils, natural rubber and other
low-cost production of a myriad of
long chain wax. These long
components. Understanding how
proteins including nutraceuticals,
chain wax esters have numerous
ER forms these products has broad
basic interest that translates into
pharmaceuticals and industrial
applications but are only available
using biotechnology to alter seed
enzymes, such as those used
today in small quantities at
composition and to create new
for food processing and biofuel
considerable expense. To develop
value-added products. production.
an alternative low cost source of
wax esters, we are using the genes
from jojoba to synthesize wax
esters for production in seeds of
transgenic plants.
12 2008 Annual Report
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