No abstract

SummaryBrassica juncea plants transformed with the Arabidopsis ADS1 gene, which encodes a plant homologue of the mammalian and yeast acyl-CoA ∆9 desaturases and the cyanobateria acyl-lipid ∆9 desaturase, were found to have a statistically significant decrease in the level of saturated fatty acids in seeds. The decrease in the level of saturated fatty acids is largely attributable to decreases in palmitic acid (16:0) The present study provides preliminary experimental data suggesting that the Arabidopsis ADS1 encodes a fatty acid ∆9 desaturase and could be useful in genetic engineering for modifying the level of saturated fatty acids in oilseed crops. However, the effect of ADS1 gene expression on seed oil fatty acid composition is beyond the changes of total saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which suggests a complex mechanism is involved in the regulation of fatty acid metabolism.