Improving biopolymer yield in the feedstock plant Camelina sativa through hybridization

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The manufacture of plastics has negative consequences for environmental health. The replacement of petroleum-based feedstocks with biomass as the source of chemical intermediates and recyclable biopolymers is one solution to this problem. Transformation of plants in the Brassicaceae family with genes from the bacterial species Alcaligenes eutrophus enables plants to synthesize complex organic compounds that possess the properties of biodegradable plastics normally derived from petroleum. To achieve high yields of these compounds, they must be produced in hybrid seed, as when present in vegetative tissue, they lead to poor plant growth. Pollination control, and hybridization is thus a major requirement for exploiting plant-based feedstocks for bioplastic production. We propose to develop a new tool, "Leavenworthia self-incompatibility" (LSI), for pollination control in Brassicaceae feedstock species where this capability is presently absent (e.g., Camelina sativa). This model plant is one of the most promising Canadian renewable feedstocks, and has been the subject of a recent $4.5 M Genome Prairie sequencing effort. This plant is undergoing development for biopolymer production by the Canadian company, Metabolix Oilseeds (Saskatoon). By genetically transforming this species with SI genes from the related plant species, Leavenworthia alabamica, we propose to gain improved understanding of the expression and activity of LSI genes in Camelina, as required for an effective system of enforcement of hybridization in the biopolymer production process developed by our partner, Metabolix Oilseeds. The company has thus far been unable to solve this problem in Camelina. Developing an improved understanding of the underlying molecular biology of this new and promising hybridization system will allow us to contribute to the advancement of fundamental knowledge that will facilitate the transition to sustainable and biodegradable sources of petrochemical substitutes for Canada's green economy.