Production of Hydroxylated Fatty Acids in Genetically Modified Plants

Abstract

This invention relates to plant fatty acyl hydroxylases. Methods to use conserved amino acid or nucleotide sequences to obtain plant fatty acyl hydroxylases are described. Also described is the use of cDNA clones encoding a plant hydroxylase to produce a family of hydroxylated fatty acids in transgenic plants. In addition, the use of genes encoding fatty acid hydroxylases or desaturases to alter the level of lipid fatty acid unsaturation in transgenic plants is described.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A seed oil obtained from seeds of a  Glycine  plant, wherein the seed oil comprises ricinoleic acid. 
     
     
         27 . The seed oil of  claim 26 , wherein the  Glycine  is  Glycine max.    
     
     
         28 . A seed oil obtained from the seed of a plant transformed with a nucleic acid encoding a fatty acid hydroxylase, wherein the seed oil has an increased percentage of hydroxylated fatty acids as compared to the seed oil of the plant of the same species without the nucleic acid, and wherein the plant is a  Glycine  plant. 
     
     
         29 . A seed oil obtained from the seed of a plant transformed with a nucleic acid encoding a fatty acid hydroxylase, wherein the seed oil has an increased percentage of hydroxylated fatty acids as compared to the seed oil of the plant of the same species without the nucleic acid, and wherein the nucleic acid encodes SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         30 . The seed oil of  claim 29 , wherein the plant is  Glycine.    
     
     
         31 . A seed of a  Glycine  plant, wherein oil of the seed comprises ricinoleic acid. 
     
     
         32 . A plant comprising the seed of  claim 31 . 
     
     
         33 . The plant of  claim 32 , wherein the plant is  Glycine max.    
     
     
         34 . The plant of  claim 31 , wherein the plant is  Glycine max.