Project Number: 3622-21000-028-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 06, 2006
End Date: Apr 05, 2011

Objective:
1) To develop soybeans with altered seed coat color to facilitate the segregation and identity preservation of seeds with genetically enhanced compositional traits. 2) To produce soybeans with enhanced food, feed, and industrial properties by modification of the oil and lipid-soluble antioxidant composition of seeds. 3) To introduce genes into soybeans that result in high-level accumulation of foreign and engineered proteins valuable for food, feed, and industrial uses. 4) To develop procedures and methods for analyzing and predicting seed protein allergenicity in food and feed. To develop non-allergenic seeds by suppressing intrinsic allergens and to modify proteins that are potential transgenes for improving biosafety.

Approach:
1) Co-transformation of soybean with a seed coat color-conferring transgene and a trait transgene will yield visually distinct seeds with enhanced composition. 2) Identify enzymes that are specialized for the metabolism of unusual fatty acids to produce agronomically-viable soybean seeds. 3) Manipulate protein content of soybean seeds by use of plant promoters and compartmentalization of introduced proteins. 4) Identify and characterize soybean food and feed allergens.