D3.2– Catalogue of universal key genes responsible for oil yield and quality

Plant oil biosynthesis is a complex process that is controlled by many enzymes and transcription factors and before the oil is formed, a complex network of biosynthetic pathways has been followed. In the model plant Arabidopsis, at least 120 enzymatic reactions and more than 600 genes encoding enzymes and regulatory factors are involved in the acyl-lipid metabolism (Li-Beisson et al. 2013). It is therefore a challenging task to choose appropriate target genes for developing EMS mutants with a desired oil yield and quality for crop improvement (e.g. Yuan and Li, 2020).
Within the framework of MAGIC, a catalogue of universal key genes responsible for oil quality is constructed. The database was created by selecting genes involved in oil-biosynthesis that are functionally conserved in multiple crops. This catalogue can be used to select the most promising target genes for breeding of oil/specialty crops using mutation breeding (D3-4) by showing pathway functionality of genes in both, model species and several oil crops (Brassica napus, Camelina sativa, Crambe abyssinica and Glycine max).