Diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity and triacylglycerol synthesis in germinating castor seed cotyledons.

The central importance of storage lipid breakdown in providing carbon and energy during seed germination has been demonstrated by isolating the genes encoding the enzymes involved in FA beta-oxidation. In contrast, little is known about the ability of germinating seeds to synthesize TAG. We report that castor cotyledons are capable of TAG synthesis. The rate of incorporation of ricinoleic acid into TAG reached a peak at 7 d after imbibition (DAI) (1.14 nmol/h/mg) and decreased rapidly thereafter, but was sustained at 20 DAI in cotyledons and true leaves. The castor DAG acyltransferase (RcDGAT) mRNA and protein were expressed throughout seed germination at levels considerably enhanced from that in the dormant seed, thus indicating new expression. Significant degradation of the RcDGAT protein was observed after 7 DAI. The DGAT activity was found to be predominantly a function of the level of the intact RcDGAT protein, with the rate of TAG synthesis decreasing as degradation of the RcDGAT protein proceeded. A possible mechanism for the degradation of the RcDGAT protein is discussed. The induction of DGAT mRNA and protein, the capacity for TAG synthesis in vitro and in tissue slices, and the differing TAG composition of dormant seed TAG vs. cotyledonary TAG provide strong circumstantial evidence for active TAG synthesis by cotyledons. However, we have not yet determined the physiological significance of this capability.