Recently, the innovation team of rapeseed genetic improvement in OCRI-CAAS has revealed that an alternative splicing caused by a natural variation in BnaC02.VTE4 gene affects vitamin E and glucosinolate contents in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). This new finding provides an opportunity for enhancing rapeseed quality traits and has been published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.

Vitamin E, predominantly found in vegetable oils, is a crucial nutrient for the growth and development of both humans and animals. Vitamin E plays vital roles in immune regulation, aging mitigation, and cancer prevention. Furthermore, a reduction in glucosinolate content in rapeseed meal can significantly enhance its nutritional value as animal feed. Identifying the key genes that regulate the synthesis of vitamin E and glucosinolate in rapeseed is of great significance for promoting high-quality rapeseed breeding. For this purpose, this team cloned the target gene BnaC02.VTE4 through genome-wide association analysis, genetic complementation, and site-directed mutagenesis. The point mutation from A to G at the 3' splicing site was found to be the cause for the difference in vitamin E and glucosinolate contents in rapeseed. Through a comprehensive analysis of transcriptome and metabolome data, the team elucidated the competitive dynamics between the biosynthetic pathways of vitamin E and glucosinolate, thereby revealing the molecular mechanisms of positively regulating vitamin E content and negatively regulating glucosinolate level. This finding is instrumental in achieving the breeding objectives of enhancing vitamin E content while reducing glucosinolate content in rapeseed.

This research was supported by the Talented scientist project in Qinghai Province, the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund, Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA.

Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pbi.14603