One Gene, Two Gains: New Discovery Increases Sterols and Oils in Rapeseed
Sterols are beneficial plant metabolites with proven human health effects. In rapeseed (Brassica napus), enhancing sterol content could add significant nutritional value to edible oils. This study integrated quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping with time-series transcriptomics to explore the genetic architecture of sterol metabolism. Researchers identified 24 QTLs and 157 metabolic QTLs (mQTLs) related to sterol traits and discovered a key regulatory gene, BnSQS1.C03. Functional validation showed that overexpressing BnSQS1.C03 in Arabidopsis increased total sterol content by 3.8%. This integrative approach provides valuable genetic resources for breeding high-sterol rapeseed varieties and offers new insights into sterol-lipid metabolic crosstalk.