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Scientists ID Sterol Essential for Oil Accumulation in Plants

Scientists ID Sterol Essential for Oil Accumulation in Plants

Scientists seeking to unravel the details of how plants produce and accumulate oil have identified a new essential component of the assembly line. They discovered a particular sterol—a molecule related to cholesterol—that plays a key role in the formation of oil droplets.

"This research greatly extends our understanding of the molecular factors that govern the formation of  , which are vital organelles for oil storage and metabolism in all eukaryotic organisms," said Changcheng Xu, a biologist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, who led the study. The findings, published in Nature Communications, may suggest new ways to engineer the oil content of a variety of plant tissues.

The work may be particularly important for informing genetic engineering strategies aimed at boosting the oil content of leaves and stems. These  usually do not accumulate oil, but they could be engineered as an abundant source of sustainable oils for making biofuels and other commodity products, the scientists say.

The findings also apply to the accumulation of oil in , the main place oils naturally accumulate in plants. These natural reservoirs of plant oils provide nutrition for plant embryos and seedlings—as well as animals and humans.

"We found that a deficiency in a particular type of sterol causes a drop in oil accumulation in seeds and leaves," said Xu.

Green light for oil production

Xu and his team have been working for years to increase oil accumulation in plant leaves and stems.

"Leaves compared with seeds are much more abundant as a possible bioenergy material," he noted. "Also, because the oil in seeds is used for food, we're working to accumulate oil and other commodity bioproducts in non-seed parts of plants—like leaves and stems—to avoid competition between food and fuel."

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Four Great Reasons to Love Canola

Video: Four Great Reasons to Love Canola

Canola oil is healthy, versatile, takes the heat and is Canadian! Canola oil is grown for you by 43,000 farmers in Canada.

** Why should I buy and use Canola Oil? **

Canola oil is your local choice for oil. Grown right here in Canada! Canola oil is the best blend of fats for good health. Canola oil is low in saturated fat and contains zero trans fat and cholesterol. Canola oil is a source of omega-6 which is important for the brain and essential for the growth and development of infants. Canola oil is also high in omega-3 fat which helps to protect against heart attacks and strokes. Canola oil is high in monounsaturated fats, which reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

** When and where can I use canola oil? **

Basically, you can use canola oil to replace any type of oil in any recipe and here’s why… For the Health of it! With the lowest amount of saturated fat of any leading oil in your supermarket, it also contains a good amount of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acid it is an excellent choice for a healthy kitchen.

For the Heat of it! Boasting a high smoke point of 242C (468F) it is an excellent choice when doing high heat frying or deep frying. For the Taste of it!

Generally speaking, canola oil has a very mild or neutral flavour making it an excellent carrier for other ingredients in your dish. It allows for seasonings to shine and for key ingredients to be showcased. However, if you are looking for an oil to pack a punch you should try out a cold-pressed canola oil. Cold-pressed canola oil packs flavour and is excellent for bread dips, salad dressings or a quick drizzle to finish a dish for a great presentation.

*Yes, even to replace a solid fat!

Did you know you can make some of your favourite recipes even healthier by replacing solid fats with canola oil? Not only do you make the type of fat in the recipe healthier you also decrease the caloric content of the recipe because you will decrease the amount of fat needed. Basically, anytime a recipe calls for a solid fat to be melted you can replace it with canola oil.