Crucial enzymes in the hydroxylated triacylglycerol-ricinoleate biosynthesis pathway of castor bean.

Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an important oilseed crop for the rich hydroxylated triacylglycerol (TAG)-ricinoleate which is a raw material with wide applications in industry. Hydroxylated TAG synthesis occurs through complicated pathways among multiple subcellular organelles. Some crucial enzymes have been identified in previous studies. After analyzing the available castor tissue-specific transcriptome sequencing data and comparing the classic pathways in other plants, a possible de novo biosynthesis pathway for the hydroxylated TAG has been revealed. In this study, some other crucial enzymes were ascertained and their expression levels were characterized and pinpointed into the pathways in castor. Several key enzymes were analyzed in terms of structure, biofunction prediction and similarity of expression pattern mechanisms, aiming to give an insight on the better understandings of the molecular knowledge for this oil-rich plant and the crucial enzyme performances in the hydroxylated triacylglycerol-ricinoleate biosynthesis pathways.