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Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
12-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Aruna Kilaru
Committee Members
Lev Yampolsky, Tianhu Sun
Abstract
Vegetable oil production is constrained by reliance on seed crops that require extensive land and compete with food systems. This study investigates Physcomitrium patens (moss) as a platform for lipid production. Plants store oils mainly as triacylglycerols (TAG) in seed and non-seed tissues, with biosynthesis regulated by WRINKLED transcription factors. To enhance TAG accumulation, avocado (Persea americana) WRINKLED transcription factors PaWRI1 and PaWRI2, master regulators of oil biosynthesis in non-seed tissues, were selected for stable expression in P. patens. The genes were cloned into Gateway-compatible expression vectors and introduced into moss protoplasts via PEG-mediated transformation. Total lipids from wild-type gametophores were extracted and analyzed to establish a baseline lipid profile using thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, revealing undetectable TAG levels. Transgenic lines expressing PaWRI1 and PaWRI2 have been successfully generated, and future studies will evaluate their impact on TAG content and composition.
Document Type
Thesis - restricted
Recommended Citation
Kipkoech, George, "Metabolic Engineering of Physcomitrium patens (moss) for Vegetable Oil Production" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4625. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4625
Copyright
George Kipkoech 2025
