A Novel Pathway for Triacylglycerol Biosynthesis Is Responsible for the Accumulation of Massive Quantities of Glycerolipids in the Surface Wax of Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) Fruit

Author Profile

Jeffrey P. Simpson

Highlighted Paper: Simpson and Ohlrogge (2016). A Novel Pathway for Triacylglycerol Biosynthesis is Responsible for the Accumulation of Massive Quantities of Glycerolipids in the Surface Wax of Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) Fruit. Plant Cell. Advance Publication January 7, 2016; doi:10.1105/tpc.15.00900.

Current Position: Post-doctoral Research Associate, Biochemistry Department, Purdue University.

Education: B.S. (2007) in Biological Sciences and M.S. (2009) in Plant Agriculture from University of Guelph and Ph.D. (2015) in Plant Biology from Michigan State University.

Non-scientific Interests: Golf, watching sports, cooking, traveling.

The diversity of plant derived chemicals is fascinating. Of particular interest to me are those tissues which act as chemical factories capable of synthesizing extremely large amounts of unique and valuable compounds. Following my undergraduate and master's training in plant science at the University of Guelph, I joined Dr. John Ohlrogge's lab at Michigan State University to pursue a doctoral degree in plant biochemistry. I was initially tasked with exploring how plants could synthesize increased quantities of lipids in vegetative tissues with the applied goal of increasing the energy value of a plant. Recent discoveries in surface lipid (i.e. waxes, cutin, suberin) biosynthesis raised the question of whether these pathways are capable of synthesizing and also secreting valuable and/or enhanced levels of lipids. While all plants produce surface lipids, we discovered that Bayberry fruit surface wax is much different because it contains exclusively soluble glycerolipids, notably triacylglycerol, and accumulates to levels many fold higher than other plants. In fact, its wax layer is so massive that it has been harvested for hundreds of years to make holiday candles. Fortunately, a Bayberry plant was growing outside the lab just waiting to be studied. As described in the paper, we demonstrated that Bayberry surface triacylglycerol is synthesized by an unusual pathway for this molecule and which shares similarities to the synthesis of cutin. This research may provide insights into new ways to produce and secrete lipids in plants.