Cloning and functional expression of the Arabidopsis DGAT1 cDNA, demonstrating diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity.

The Arabidopsis TAG1 mutant carries a mutation in a diacylglycerol acyltransferase gene, identifying DGAT1.

Shows the Arabidopsis TAG1 locus encodes a diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1).

Plant DGAT cDNAs (including Arabidopsis) expressed in yeast and tobacco confer diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity.

Expression and biochemical (EXP) characterization of Arabidopsis DGAT1 diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity in insect cell cultures.

Seed-specific overexpression of Arabidopsis DGAT1 increases seed oil content and seed weight, linking it to TAG accumulation and seed/embryo development.

dgat1 mutants show increased sensitivity to ABA, sugars, and osmotic stress during germination/seedling development - pleiotropic effects downstream of disrupted seed oil storage.

During leaf senescence DGAT1 transcript and protein increase, and DGAT1 protein is associated with chloroplast envelope and thylakoid membranes (not stroma), synthesizing plastoglobular TAG from de-esterified thylakoid galactolipid fatty acids; DGAT1 is also detected in the ER of developing siliques.

Characterizes a bifunctional wax ester synthase/acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase from the bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ADP1.

Primarily characterizes PDAT1/LPCAT2-dependent TAG synthesis in the absence of DGAT1 activity; DGAT1 appears as the parallel acyl-CoA-dependent route.

Characterizes the paralog AtDGAT2 and compares its acyl-CoA substrate preferences with AtDGAT1.

Characterizes the function and localization of the paralog DGAT2 expressed in yeast.

Identifies Arabidopsis GPAT9 as essential for triacylglycerol biosynthesis; DGAT1 appears as an interaction partner.

Synthesizes DGAT1 as the ER multi-pass MBOAT enzyme catalyzing the terminal acyl-CoA-dependent step of TAG assembly; major seed/pollen DGAT, functionally redundant with PDAT1; a high-value oilseed yield engineering target.