Biodegradable high oxidative stability oils

Abstract

A triacylglycerol containing oil having a 1,3-dierucoyl 2-oleoyl glycerol (EOE) content of at least about 50% is described. Plants for producing an oil having a high EOE content are also described.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
     
     
         7 . A modified plant of a species that naturally produces erucic acid, said modified plant having a seed-specific reduction in delta-12 desaturase and delta-15 desaturase activity in comparison with a corresponding wild-type plant, wherein said plant produces seeds yielding an oil comprising from about 50% to about 70% erucic acid and from about 25% to about 35% oleic acid.  
     
     
         8 . The modified plant of  claim 7 , said modified plant further having a seed-specific reduction in palmitoyl ACP thioesterase activity and a seed-specific increase in delta-9 desaturase activity in comparison with a corresponding wild-type plant.  
     
     
         9 . The modified plant of  claim 8 , said modified plant further having a seed-specific reduction in delta-15 desaturase activity in comparison with a corresponding wild-type plant.  
     
     
         10 . A transgenic plant of a species that naturally produces erucic acid, said transgenic plant having at least one nucleic acid construct comprising a regulatory sequence operably linked to afad2 coding sequence, said plant exhibiting a seed-specific reduction in delta-12 desaturase activity in comparison with a corresponding non-transgenic plant, wherein said transgenic plant produces seeds yielding an oil comprising from about 50% to about 70% erucic acid and from about 25% to about 35% oleic acid, based on total fatty acid composition.  
     
     
         11 . The transgenic plant of  claim 10 , said at least one construct further comprising a regulatory sequence operably linked to a palmitoyl ACP thioesterase coding sequence and a regulatory sequence operably linked to a delta-9 desaturase coding sequence, said plant exhibiting a seed-specific increase in delta-9 desaturase activity and a seed-specific reduction in palmitoyl ACP thioesterase activity in comparison with a corresponding non-transgenic plant.  
     
     
         12 . The transgenic plant of  claim 11 , said at least one construct further comprising a regulatory sequence operably linked to afad3 coding sequence, said plant exhibiting a seed-specific reduction in delta-15 desaturase activity in comparison with a corresponding non-transgenic plant.  
     
     
         13 . Progeny of the transgenic plant of  claim 12 , said progeny producing seeds yielding said oil having said erucic acid and said oleic acid contents.  
     
     
         14 . A method of producing an endogenous vegetable oil comprising crushing seeds of the plant of  claim 7  or  claim 10 , and extracting oil therefrom.  
     
     
         15 - 22 . (canceled)