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Identification of tung tree FATB as a promoter of 18:3 fatty acid accumulation through hydrolyzing 18:0-ACP

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Abstract

Tung oil extracted from tung tree (Vernicia fordii) seeds is very industrially useful due to its drying quality given by α-eleostearic acid (ESA). Previous comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that a putative tung tree FATB gene (VfFATB) encoding fatty acyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein) thioesterase B (FATB) was significantly unregulated during oil synthesis stage. Fatty acyl-ACP thioesterases determine the length of the fatty acid carbon chains through releasing acyl chain from acyl-ACP. For a better understanding of the mechanism of α-eleostearic acid biosynthesis, it would be desirable to further characterize the function of VfFATB gene involved in fatty acid synthesis pathways in tung tree seeds. In view of this, VfFATB gene was cloned by RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) method to further characterize its functions. Expression profiles of VfFATB were positively correlated with oil contents in tung tree seeds. VfFATB is localized in chloroplasts and restored the abnormal development of Arabidopsis fatb mutants. Fatty acid profiles in VfFATB-transformed E. coli (Escherichia coli) cells and Arabidopsis fatb mutant plants showed that the presence of VfFATB led to accumulation of 18:0 and 18:3 fatty acids in vivo. In vitro thioesterase assay using crude extract from seed tissue of tung tree and purified VfFATB protein further indicated that 18:0-ACP rather than 18:3-ACP was the main substrate of VfFATB. The above results strongly suggest that VfFATB, an 18:0-ACP-preferring thioesterase, is essential for plant normal development and promotes the accumulation of 18:3 fatty acid through hydrolyzing 18:0-ACP to produce free 18:0 fatty acid as the substrate of downstream related enzymes.

Key message

VfFATB functions in chloroplast. VfFATB expression level is positively correlated with tung oil content. VfFATB is essential for plant normal development. VfFATB is an 18:0-ACP-preferring thioesterase.

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Abbreviations

FAT:

Fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase

ACP:

Acyl carrier protein

RACE:

Rapid amplification of cDNA ends

VLCFA:

Very-long-chain fatty acid

ESA:

α-Eleostearic acid

FAME:

Fatty acid methyl ester

FAD:

Fatty acyl desaturase

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number 31700600) and Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number 2019JJ40530).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees (Ministry of Education), Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China

    Hao Chen, Fuhao Zhang, Yang Wang, Ting Xu, Min Dou & Ying Pei

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  1. Hao Chen
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  2. Fuhao Zhang
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  3. Yang Wang
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  5. Min Dou
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Contributions

HC conceived and designed the study. FHZ and YW performed most of the experiments and drafted the manuscript. TX, MD and YP helped perform some experiments. HC, TX and MD helped analyze data and revise the manuscript. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Hao Chen.

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Communicated by Danny Geelen.

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Chen, H., Zhang, F., Wang, Y. et al. Identification of tung tree FATB as a promoter of 18:3 fatty acid accumulation through hydrolyzing 18:0-ACP. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 145, 143–154 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-020-01998-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-020-01998-w

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