Methods for increasing stearate content in soybean oil

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for increasing stearate as a component of total triglycerides found in soybean seed. The method generally comprises growing a soybean plant having integrated into its genome a DNA construct comprising, in the 5′ to 3′ direction of transcription, a promoter functional in a soybean plant seed cell, a DNA sequence encoding an acyl-ACP thioesterase protein having substantial activity on C18:0 acyl-ACP substrates, and a transcription termination region functional in a plant cell. The present invention also provides a soybean seed with about 33 weight percent or greater stearate as a component of total fatty acids found in seed triglycerides.

1 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . Soybean seed oil comprising greater than about 20% stearate and less than about 53% stearate. 
     
     
         55 . The soybean seed oil of  claim 54 , further comprising about 50 weight percent or greater stearate expressed as a component of total fatty acids contained in said oil. 
     
     
         56 . The soybean seed oil of  claim 54 , further comprising about 25 percent or greater of said total fatty acids in a saturated-unsaturated-saturated form. 
     
     
         57 . The soybean seed oil of  claim 54 , further comprising about 25 percent or greater stearate as the fatty acid found at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions of seed triglycerides. 
     
     
         58 . The soybean seed oil of  claim 57 , further comprising oleic acid as the predominant fatty acid at the sn-2 position of seed triglycerides. 
     
     
         59 . The soybean seed oil of  claim 54 , wherein said oil without chemical modification comprises about 24% or greater stearate and less than 3% linoleate. 
     
     
         60 . The soybean seed oil of  claim 54 , wherein said oil without chemical modification has a melting point below room temperature. 
     
     
         61 . A food product comprising the soybean seed oil of  claim 54 , wherein said food product is selected from the group consisting of salad oil, cooking oil, margarine, shortening, soymilk, tofu, and soy flour. 
     
     
         62 . A method of producing a soybean seed having above 15% stearate comprising the steps of:
 (a) growing an oilseed crop having inserted into its genome an exogenous DNA encoding a plant FatA thioesterase; and   (b) harvesting said oilseed crop, wherein the seed of said oilseed crop comprises an endogenous oil comprising greater than 15% stearate.