Gene identification and charaterization for oil content in canola

油菜籽是加拿大最有价值的作物；油菜籽产业在过去10年里增长了两倍，现在为加拿大经济贡献了267亿美元。油菜籽主要用作食用植物油，但也可用于其他用途，如生物柴油原料。为了提高油菜含油量，最大限度地提高油菜生产效益，有必要了解哪些基因是油菜育种中提高含油量的主要目标。目前，在油菜籽中发现的含油量基因很少。其目的是识别和表征控制油菜籽含油量的基因。首先，将进行基因作图，以确定包含对油菜种子含油量有显著贡献的基因的染色体区域。其次，将对含油量基因进行精细定位，并将主要遗传因素定位在相应的染色体区域。下一步将通过第二代和第三代测序分析，重点关注这些染色体区域，以确定影响含油量的候选基因。最后，将通过植物转化对候选基因进行进一步分析，以改变基因表达。利用不同的植物转化方法对候选基因进行编辑，确定对油菜含油量有显著贡献的基因。这项研究的新奇之处在于了解哪些基因参与了油菜籽中石油的形成。这些遗传信息有可能使加拿大油菜籽产业通过分子育种方法提高油分含量。基因克隆和功能分析的结果可用于分子标记辅助选择和基因组选择等已证实的油菜含油量基因的操作，并将这些对含油量有重大影响的基因导入油菜新品种。新品种将在不增加投入的情况下生产更多的菜籽油。这项研究工作将使加拿大油菜籽产业受益，并为加拿大经济做出贡献。

Canola is Canada's most valuable crop; the canola industry has tripled in last 10 years and it now contributes $26.7 billion to the Canadian economy. Canola is primarily used as an edible vegetable oil although it can be used for other purposes such as biodiesel feed stock. To increase oil content and maximize the benefit of canola production, it is necessary to know what genes are primary targets for increasing oil content in canola breeding. Currently, very few genes underlying oil content in canola have been identified. The objectives are to identify and characterize genes controlling oil content in canola. First, gene mapping will be performed to identify chromosome regions containing the genes with significant contribution to seed oil content in canola. Second, fine mapping of the genes for oil content will be performed and major genetic factors mapped on corresponding chromosome regions. The next step will focus on these chromosome regions through second and third generation sequencing analysis to identify candidate genes for oil content. Finally, the candidate genes will be further analyzed through plant transformation to modify gene expression. Various plant transformation methods will be used to edit the candidate genes so the genes having significant contribution to oil content in canola will be confirmed. The novelty of this research is to understand what genes are involved in oil formation in canola seeds. This genetic information has the potential to allow Canadian canola industry to increase oil content through molecular breeding methods. The results in gene cloning and function analysis can be used to manipulate these confirmed genes for oil content such as molecular marker assisted selection and genomic selection and transfer these genes with major effects on oil content into their new canola cultivars. The new cultivars will produce more canola oil without extra input. This research work will benefit the Canadian canola industry and contribute to the Canadian economy.