Quantitative imaging of oil storage in developing crop seeds

• Published in: Plant biotechnology journal Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 31 - 45
• Main Authors: Neuberger, Thomas, Sreenivasulu, Nese, Rokitta, Markus, Rolletschek, Hardy, Göbel, Cornelia, Rutten, Twan, Radchuk, Volodja, Feussner, Ivo, Wobus, Ulrich, Jakob, Peter, Webb, Andrew, Borisjuk, Ljudmilla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2008; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: analysis; barley; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; chemistry; electron microscopy; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene expression; Glycine max; Glycine max - chemistry; Glycine max - growth & development; Glycine max - metabolism; growth & development; Hordeum; Hordeum - chemistry; Hordeum - growth & development; Hordeum - metabolism; Hordeum vulgare; image analysis; Liliopsida; lipids; magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Magnoliopsida; metabolism; methods; oil storage; oils; Plant Oils; Plant Oils - analysis; Plant Oils - metabolism; seed development; seed maturation; seeds; Seeds - chemistry; Seeds - growth & development; Seeds - metabolism; Soybean Oil; Soybean Oil - analysis; Soybean Oil - metabolism; soybeans; tissues; Monocotyledones; magnetic resonance imaging; Seeds; Hordeum vulgare; Vegetable oil; Glycine max; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; oil storage; Storage; Leguminosae; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; seed development; Spermatophyta; Oil plant (vegetal); Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 1467-7644; 1467-7652; 1467-7652
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00294.x

In this article, we present a tool which allows the rapid and non-invasive detection and quantitative visualization of lipid in living seeds at a variety of stages using frequency-selected magnetic resonance imaging. The method provides quantitative lipid maps with a resolution close to the cellular level (in-plane 31 μm x 31 μm). The reliability of the method was demonstrated using two contrasting subjects: the barley grain (monocot, 2% oil, highly compartmentalized) and the soybean grain (dicot, 20% oil, economically important oilseed). Steep gradients in local oil storage were defined at the organ- and tissue-specific scales. These gradients were closely coordinated with tissue differentiation and seed maturation, as revealed by electron microscopy and biochemical and gene expression analysis. The method can be used to elucidate similar oil accumulation processes in different tissues/organs, as well as to follow the fate of storage lipids during deposition and subsequent mobilization.