Plant Metabolism and Metabolic Engineering_5

Plant embryo development is a complex process that includes several coordinated events. We try to understand this complex process using transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomics. During development, plant embryos accumulate reserve lipids, mainly triacylglycerol (TAG), within discreet structures called oil bodies (OBs) which consist of a TAG core surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer embedded with proteins. Most abundant OB associated proteins in plants are oleosins. We have identified and characterized a new family of OB associated proteins we called OBAP that are present in all plants and also in some Fungi and some Bacteria. They are involved in determine OB size and, possibly, mediate interactions with other proteins. OBs are also present in other plant tissues like senescing leaves, pollen or root tips. We are investigating the genetic control of accumulation of OBs in these organs, which is different than seed OBs.