| abstract |
The present invention relates to the isolation, purification, characterization and use of the plant diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) gene and genetic products. For example, the invention provides DGAT cDNA [SEQ ID NO:1] (pDGATcDNA; ATCC No PTA-989) and a plant diacylglycerol acyltransferase gene [SEQ ID NO:3] (pDGATgene; ATCC No PTA-988) from the Brassicaceae (specifically Arabidopsis thaliana). The invention includes isolated and purified DGAT DNA, preferably of the stated sequences and homologues, and relates to methods of regulating seed oil content, the ratio of diacylglycerol/triacylglycerol proportions in the seed oil, fatty acid synthesis, seed oil acyl composition, seed size/weight and carbon flux into other seed components, using the gene, and to tissues and plants transformed with the gene. The invention also relates to transgenic plants, plant tissues and plant seeds having a genome containing an introduced DNA sequence of the invention, and a method of producing such plants and plant seeds. The invention also relates to [SEQ ID NO:1] containing an 81 bp insertion [SEQ ID NO:23], and uses thereof to modify oil content, acyl composition of triacylglycerols, seed size or carbon flux into other seed components. |