Native promoter-mediated transcriptional regulation of crucial oleosin protein OLE1 from Prunus sibirica for seed development and high oil accumulation

Oleosin (OLE) is vital to stabilize lipid droplet for seed triacylglycerol (TAG) storage. This work aimed to determine key OLE and to unravel mechanism that governed seed oil accumulation of Prunus sibirica for developing biodiesel. An integrated assay of global identification of LD-related protein and the cross-accessions/ developing stages comparisons associated with oil accumulative amount and OLE transcript level was performed on seeds of 12 plus trees of P. sibirica to identify OLE1 (15.5 kDa) as key oleosin protein crucial for high seed oil accumulation. The OLE1 gene and its promoter were cloned from P. sibirica seeds, and overexpression of PsOLE1 in Arabidopsis was conducted under the controls of native promoter and constitutive CaMV35S promoter, respectively. PsOLE1 promoter had seed-specific cis-elements and showed seed specificity, by which PsOLE1 was specifically expressed in seeds. Ectopic overexpression of PsOLE1, especially driven by its promoter, could facilitate seed development and oil accumulation with an increase in unsaturated FAs, and upregulate transcript of TAG assembly enzymes, but suppress transcript of LD/TAG-hydrolyzed lipases and transporters, revealing a role of native promoter-mediated transcription of PsOLE1 in seed development and oil accumulation. PsOLE1 and its promoter have considerable potential for engineering oil accumulation in oilseed plants.

Automated summary

This study identified the key oleosin protein OLE1 in Prunus sibirica seeds and revealed its mechanism in regulating seed development and oil accumulation. PsOLE1 and its promoter have great potential for engineering oil accumulation in oilseed plants.