XVI International Botanical Congess
Tung oil contains approximately 80% eleostearic acid. The conjugated bond system of eleostearic acid promotes polymerization and formation of a hard coating. We have screened a seed cDNA library to identify genes expressed during tung oil biosynthesis. Two desaturases and a glutaredoxin gene have been identified. A second strategy involves characterization of the low-density microsomal fraction to identify protein components associated with tung oil. Three proteins were found whose abundance temporally correlated with synthesis of tung oil. These proteins were similar to a subtilisin- like protease, sucrose-binding protein, and bark-type storage protein.