XVI International Botanical Congess

There has been increasing interest in the regulation of lipid synthesis, particularly since the advent of bioengineered oil crops. We have examined the control of lipid synthesis using two model system, namely, oil palm or olive. In particular, we have used the method of top-down control analysis to determine which parts of the overall biosynthetic pathway are more important for flux control. Data from experiments where temperature or exogenous fatty acid formation exerted greater control than assembly of complex lipids by the Kennedy pathway. We have also used specific inhibitors in order to study the latter pathway further and to evaluate the importance of diacylglycerol acyltransferase for flux control in these plants.