Seed-Specific Over-Expression of a Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 1 Gene(VgDGAT1) Increase Seed Oil Accumulation in Camelina sativa

Camelina sativa is an important non-food industrial oilseed with low-input, high efficiency and environment-friendly. To enhance seed oil content for meeting an increasing market demand, a c DNA clone(VgDGAT1) encoding type 1 diacylglycerol acyltransferase from Vernonia galamensis with the higher DGAT enzymatic activity was introduced into camelina by Agrobacterium-mediated floral dip infiltration. Seed-specific over-expression of Vg DGAT1 significantly enhanced the DGAT activity in the transgenic seeds by 30 folds more compared to the wild-type control, resulting in seed oil content increase from 37%(dry weight) in the wild-type seeds up to 46%–51% in the transgenics. However, seed protein level was not significant difference between the transgenic and the wild type, indicating that genetic modification on DGAT can break up the negative genetic linkage of oil and protein contents in seeds. Moreover, the seed-specific high expression of VgDGAT1 did not adversely affect seed weight, seed germination and other agronomic traits. Such novel engineered camelina lines with higher seed oil content and no reduction of protein accumulation could be used for breeding new camelina varieties with multiple excellent agronomic traits for commercialization.