Transgenic oil palm: production and projection

Abstract

Oil palm is an important economic crop for Malaysia. Genetic engineering could be applied to produce transgenic oil palms with high value-added fatty acids and novel products to ensure the sustainability of the palm oil industry. Establishment of a reliable transformation and regeneration system is essential for genetic engineering. Biolistic was initially chosen as the method for oil palm transformation as it has been the most successful method for monocotyledons to date. Optimization of physical and biological parameters, including testing of promoters and selective agents, was carried out as a prerequisite for stable transformation. This has resulted in the successful transfer of reporter genes into oil palm and the regeneration of transgenic oil palm, thus making it possible to improve the oil palm through genetic engineering. Besides application of the Biolistics method, studies on transformation mediated by Agrobacterium and utilization of the green fluorescent protein gene as a selectable marker gene have been initiated. Upon the development of a reliable transformation system, a number of useful targets are being projected for oil palm improvement. Among these targets are high-oleate and high-stearate oils, and the production of industrial feedstock such as biodegradable plastics. The efforts in oil palm genetic engineering are thus not targeted as commodity palm oil. Due to the long life cycle of the palm and the time taken to regenerate plants in tissue culture, it is envisaged that commercial planting of transgenic palms will not occur any earlier than the year 2020.

A Novel Transcript of Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), Eg707, is Specifically Upregulated in Tissues Related to Totipotency

“…As a consequence of the biological characteristics of oil palm (long life cycle and no natural vegetative reproduction) and a high heterogeneity prevalent among hybrids, breeding strategies are labor intensive and time consuming [5,6]. Moreover, planting materials at present are derived from a narrow gene pool, which provides breeders with limited genetic variability for improvement [3]. Therefore, the palm oil industry has invested in the development of new techniques for multiplying agronomically interesting and superior parents, primarily of high oil and fruit yielding characteristics, for seed production and elite progeny palms for commercial planting [7].…”

“…my/economy/EID_web.htm). The challenge that the oil palm industry will face in the 21st century is its ability to maintain competitiveness and remain profitable while facing labor shortages and limited land resources [3]. In addition, the demand for palm oil is expected to increase in the future as the world population increases.…”

Development of transformation vectors for the production of potentially high oleate transgenic oil palm

“…Oil palm transformation studies also revealed that ubiquitin promoter is an efficient and stable promoter in oil palm transformed tissues Parveez et al 1997). In addition, production of transgenics oil palm carrying the bar gene driven by ubiquitin promoter, which are resistant to herbicide Basta TM have been successful obtained (Parveez et al 2000). In order to control expression of transgenes in oil palm mesocarp, the MSP1 promoter (1140 bp) has been used to drive expression of the GOI.…”

Construction of efficient and effective transformation vectors for palmitoyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterase gene silencing in oil palm

“…(2000) for the particle bombardment mediated genetic engineering of oil palm can be used to accelerate the genetic transformation of oil palm with constructs reported in this study to knockout the PATE gene expression [07]. Recently, constitutive and oil palm leaf-specific promoters (and their potential applications) has been reported by Masura et al .…”

“…To achieve this goal, conventional crop improvement methods are not only tedious but also time-consuming [5]. Oil palm genetic engineering may save 80-90% of the time required for insertion of gene/s for new trait/s in it through conventional crop breeding [7]. Therefore, out of all existing methods available for crop improvement, perhaps genetic engineering is the best method to manipulate fatty acid profile in oil palm in a short period.…”