Plant Lipid Biosynthesis

A review of the most recent advances in plant lipid biosynthesis, particularly relevant to industry.

A collection of papers that comprehensively describe the major areas of research on lipid metabolism of plants. State-of-the-art knowledge about research on fatty acid and glycerolipid biosynthesis, isoprenoid metabolism, membrane structure and organization, lipid oxidation and degradation, lipids as intracellular and extracellular messengers, lipids and environment, oil seeds and gene technology is reviewed. The different topics covered show that modern tools of plant cellular and molecular biology, as well as molecular genetics, have been recently used to characterize several key enzymes of plant lipid metabolism (in particular, desaturases, thioesterases, fatty acid synthetase) and to isolate corresponding cDNAs and genomic clones, allowing the use of genetic engineering methods to modify the composition of membranes or storage lipids. These findings open fascinating perspectives, both for establishing the roles of lipids in membrane function and intracellular signalling and for adapting the composition of seed oil to the industrial needs. This book will be a good reference source for research scientists, advanced students and industrialists wishing to follow the considerable progress made in recent years on plant lipid metabolism and to envision the new opportunities offered by genetic engineering for the development of novel oil seeds.

This text presents a comprehensive description of the fundamental principles of plant lipid metabolism and then uses this base to examine current research in the field. The importance of molecular biology and the incorporation of new analytical methods are discussed, and the contributions of current research to agricultural and industrial uses are covered in depth. Chapters are illustrated with tables and figures to support key concepts, and projections for future researc in the field are also explored.

The 15th International Symposium on Plant Lipids was held in Okazaki, Japan, in May 12th to 17th, 2002, at the Okazaki Conference Center. The Symposium was organized by the Japanese Organizing Committee with the cooperation of the Japanese Association of Plant Lipid Researchers. The International Symposium was successful with 225 participants from 29 countries. We acknowledge a large number of participants from Asian countries, in particular, from China, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines, presumably because this was the fIrst time that the International Symposium on Plant Lipids was held in Asia. We also acknowledge a number of scientists from Canada, France, Germany, UK and USA, where plant lipid research is traditionally very active. The Symposium provided an opportunity for presentation and discussion of 68 lectures and 93 posters in 11 scientific sessions, which together covered all aspects of plant lipid researches, such as the structure, analysis, biosynthesis, regulation, physiological function, environmental aspects, and the biotechnology of plant lipids. In memory of the founder of this series of symposia, the Terry Galliard Lecture was delivered by Professor Ernst Heinz from Universitat: Hamburg, Germany. In addition, special lectures were given by two outstanding scientists from animal lipid fields, Professor James Ntambi from University of Wisconsin, USA, and Dr. Masahiro Nishijima from the National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Japan. To our great honor and pleasure, the session of Lipid Biosynthesis was chaired by Dr.

The Seventh International Symposium on the Structure and Function of Plant Lipids took place at the University of California, Davis, California July 27th to August 1st, 1986. This was the first time the Symposium was held in the United States. The list of previous host cities reads, Norwich, Karlsruhe, Goteborg, Paris, Groningen, Neuchatel. The addition of Davis to this distinguished list was made by the organizers with the doubts of people who give invitations to parties - will anybody come? In fact 155 participants registered and there were 21 spouses in attendance. The scientific program was composed of nine sessions: biochemistry of isoprenoids and sterols, function of isoprenoids and sterols, structure and function of lipids, biosynthesis of complex lipids, fatty acid oxygenases and desaturases, medium and long chain fatty acids, interaction of university, government and industrial research, algal lipids, and genetics and biotechnology. In addition to these sessions of plenary lectures, there were four poster sessions in which about 140 posters were presented. All of this was packed into four days, and there was some comment about the scarcity of time to ask questions of the speakers, discuss the posters and even to eat lunch. The compression of the program was a result of the continued desire of the organizing committees to avoid concurrent sessions. The congregation of participants into a single session increases interaction and generates a feeling of unity at these symposia.

Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on title] held in Budapest, Hungary, July 1988. Covers traditional areas of research in the field (metabolism, structure and function of lipids). Special attention is given to biocides and their interaction with plant lipids and the metabolic responses

Structure and distribution of plant fatty acids; Plant acyl lipids; The lipid and fatty acid composition of specific tissues; Distribution of individual fatty acids between lipid classes; Biosynthesis of plant fatty acids; The biosynthesis of acyl lipids; Lipolytic enzymes; Biological degradation of plant fatty acids; lipid and fatty acid metabolism during organogenesis and senescence; Role of lipids in plant metabolism; Analysis of plant lipid.

The 12th International Symposium on Plant Lipids was held at the University of Toronto, Canada, from July 7th to 12th, 1996. The conference was attended by over 200 scientists from university, government and corporate laboratories from 24 different countries. The topics covered in the symposium ranged from basic physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of plant lipids to transformation and genetic engineering of crop plants. Oil seed plants were a particular focus of the symposium. There were 62 oral and 96 posters presentations. A special lecture in memory of the founder of this series of symposium, Terry Galliard, was presented by John Shanklin. This Proceedings Book has been dedicated to Grattan Roughan for his important contributions to our knowledge of plant lipid metabolism. This volume contains manuscripts submitted from most of the presentations at the symposium. It provides a useful summary of the major fields of plant lipid studies and our present state of knowledge. The papers are arranged in eight sections covering the major areas in the field of plant physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of plant lipids. We would like to thank Valerie Imperial, Rajesh Khetarpal and Mary Williams for their invaluable help in organizing and running the meetings and excursions. John P. Williams, Mobashsher U. Khan and Nora W. Lem Toronto, Canada, October 1996 xvii DEDICATION This volume is dedicated to Grattan Roughan.