Enhancement of seed oil content by expression of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase genes

Arabidopsis thaliana was transformed with a plastidial safflower glycerol-3 -phosphate acyltrans-ferase (GPAT) and an Escherichia coli GPAT, The genes were used directly and in modified forms with, as applicable, the plastidia l targeting sequence removed, and with an endoplasmic reticulum targeting s equence added. Seeds of plants transformed using only the vector were indis tinguishable in oil content from wild-type control plants. All other gene c onstructs increased seed oil content. The unmodified safflower gene (spgpat ) produced oil increases ranging from 10 to 21%. On average, the greatest i ncrease (+22%) was observed in seeds of transformants carrying the spgpat w ith the targeting peptide removed. The E. coli plsB gene increased seed oil content by an average of 15%.