Scientists have been able to create the first plant capable of storing nutrients in fats by experimenting with unique genes found in green algae cells.
American geneticists have grown the plant for the first time with a high content of fat and other "energy-intensive" compounds, which makes it possible to use it for the production of biofuels or as a super-calorie feed for livestock, according to an article published in the journal Plant Cell.
“If we learn to extract oil from leaves, stems and seeds, the potential energy capacity of a plant can double. Moreover, if we can force vegetation to produce fat consistently, and not only under adverse conditions, then such plants can replace traditional crops,”said Christoph Benning of the University of Michigan in East Lansing (USA).
Benning and his colleagues were able to create the first plant capable of storing nutrients in fats by experimenting with unique genes found in green algae cells. As biologists note, the genomes of primitive algae still contain genes characteristic of their protozoan ancestors, absent or damaged in more complex representatives of the flora.
Scientists analyzed the genomes of several types of algae and found five genes containing instructions for synthesizing fats. The authors of the article tried to insert these genes into the genome of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant in such a way that its vital functions were not disturbed. After a long series of experiments, Benning and his colleagues managed to successfully integrate only one gene in five.
Biologists have grown several bushes of "fat" Arabidopsis and tested whether its leaves and stems contain more energy in a very original way. For example, the researchers purchased several whitefly caterpillars, planted them on ordinary and "fat" Arabidopsis bushes, and monitored their growth rate.
The experiment showed that caterpillars on transgenic plants grew several times faster than their relatives. Scientists plan to continue experimenting with these genes, trying to develop new types of fat-storing plants.