Molecular Profiling of Erucic Acid Biosynthesizing FAE1 Gene of Indian Mustard Varieties

Abstract

Indian mustard is a major contributor to the edible oil supply in India. Traditional Indian mustard varieties contain very high proportion of 18C polyunsaturated fatty acids and large amounts of long-chain (20C and more) monounsaturated fatty acids, mainly erucic acid. The composition of fatty acids in oil determines its end usage. Erucic acid, though an important feedstock for industrial applications, is an undesirable property for cooking oil due to its potential health hazard. Erucic acid is synthesized by condensing enzyme fatty acid elongase 1 (FAE1). The present study aimed to gain insight into the molecular profile of FAE1 gene in Indian mustard varieties. The detailed characterization of a full-length coding sequence of FAE1 gene revealed a near absence of uniqueness among haplotypes of paralogous in Indian mustard varieties. The absence of variation among haplotypes in FAE1 paralogous in the studied Indian mustard varieties plausibly indicates the use of germplasm/varieties having a narrow genetic base towards the development of such varieties.