Yuejun Wu

Zhejiang Gongxiang Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Genomics and Applied Biology, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 6   doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0030
Received: 19 Sep., 2024    Accepted: 28 Oct., 2024    Published: 12 Nov., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Wu Y.J., 2024, Genetic basis of oil content in camellia species, Genomics and Applied Biology, 15(6): 288-296 (doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0030)

The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the genetic basis of oil content in various Camellia species, with a particular focus on identifying key genes and genetic markers associated with oil biosynthesis and fatty acid composition. The study identified several significant genetic markers and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with oil content and quality in Camellia species. In Camellia oleifera, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertion-deletion (InDel) markers within key fatty acid desaturase genes were found to be significantly associated with oil content and composition, explaining up to 17.93% of phenotypic variance. Transcriptomic analyses revealed critical genes involved in lipid metabolism and oil accumulation, such as stearoyl-ACP desaturases (SADs) and fatty acid desaturase 2 (FAD2), which were differentially expressed during seed development. Additionally, integrative proteomic and transcriptomic analyses identified key metabolites and co-expressed genes involved in oil quality during seed ripenin4. Comparative studies between high- and low-oil cultivars highlighted the coordinated regulation of upstream and downstream genes essential for high oleic acid accumulation. The findings from this study provide valuable genetic markers and insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying oil biosynthesis in Camellia species. These discoveries have significant implications for the genetic improvement of oil content and quality in Camellia cultivars through marker-assisted selection and genetic engineering.

Camellia oleifera; Oil biosynthesis; Fatty acid composition; Genetic markers; Transcriptomics