Accumulation and deposition of triacylglycerols in the starchy endosperm of wheat grain

Abstract A combination of lipidomics, transcriptomics and bioimaging has been used to study triacylglycerol synthesis deposition in the developing starchy endosperm wheat. The content TAG increased between 14 34 days after anthesis, from 50 115 mg/100 g dry wt about 35 175 mg/100 g two experiments. major fatty acids were C16 (palmitic C16:0 palmitoleic C16:1) C18 (stearic C18:0, oleic C18:1, linoleic C18:2 linolenic C18:3), with unsaturated accounting for 75–80% total throughout development. Linoleic acid (C18:2) was component at all stages proportion during Transcript profiling indicated that predominant route oil accumulation is via Kennedy pathway diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) activity. Confocal microscopy stained tissue sections showed accumulated droplets which are associated protein concentrated cells below sub-aleurone cells. Transcripts encoding 16kd oleosins also expressed, indicating part stabilised by oleosin proteins.