Adding Value to the Vitamin E Profile of Cottonseed through the Seed-Specific Production of Tocotrienols

We will present results from a collaboration between the University of Nebraska and the University of North Texas to introduce (via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation) the barley cDNA sequence encoding the enzyme, homogentisate: geranylgeranyl transferase (HGGT) to direct the formation of tocotrienols specifically in cottonseed.  These tocotrienols are not normally found in most dicot oilseeds, but are touted for their health-promoting properties, separate from the tocopherols that are the common vitamin E components of cottonseed oils and processing streams from other oilseed crops.