High-temperature gas chromatography for the detection of trierucoylglycerol in the seed oil of transgenic rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

A method for the determination of the triacylglycerol (TAG) composition of the seed oil of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) by high-temperature gas chromatography (HT-GC) has been developed. For oil quality breeding in rapeseed such a method gains increasing importance since by means of molecular gene transfer novel TAG species, e.g. like trierucoylglycerol are developed, for the detection of which, however, no adequate efficient method is available. The HT-GC method is quicker in comparison to the conventionally used HPLC method and the analysis can be performed with minute amounts of oil, as they are available by means of oil extraction from single cotyledons of microspore-derived embryos and from ‘half-seeds’ of rapeseed. Following the triacylglycerol analysis, enough oil remains to allow the determination of the fatty acid composition of the same sample.