Evaluation of transgenic lines of field pepperweed (Lepidium campestre L.)

Abstract: The worldwide industrial demand of energy, often in form of fossil fuel, is continuously growing and at the same time these resources are coming to an end (Hamamre, 2013). The interest and focus in renewable sources are then more important than ever and plants are suggested to be a good alternative for production of raw material for industrial purposes (Nilsson et al., 1998). But the world is also facing an increasing world population which also increase the nutritional needs, plants therefore need to be suitable for both industrial and nutritional purposes. To achieve this, common plants need to be improved but it also need new potential crops to be developed and introduced (Carlsson et al., 2009). Modern technology like gene engineering is an important tool to achieve these challenges (Carlsson et al., 2011). This work focused on analyzes and evaluation of different transgenic lines of field pepperweed (Lepidium campestre L.). Field pepperweed has traditionally been seen as a weed in the agriculture sector but is in these days less common and most frequent along railway stations and ruderal areas (Lagerberg, 1958). The field pepperweed were bred with 3 different goals to (i) increase the rather low seed oil content, which is around 20% (Nilsson et al., 1998), (ii) reduce the pod shatter sensitivity and (iii) optimize the fatty acid profile of the seed oil. Different transgenic lines were evaluated through DNA analysis (PCR, Southern blot) and oil analysis. The DNA analysis showed that the new traits could both be detected through PCR and Southern blot. The oil analysis also showed that the oil content could be increased through overexpression of both WRI1 and hemoglobin like genes with up to 25 % compared to the non-transgenic lines which resulted in a total oil content of over 27 % (27.34 %). To optimize the breeding procedure different tests were arranged due to easier distinguish transgenic plants from non-transgenic plants through both finding suitable kanamycin concentration and through detection with red fluorescent protein.