Data from: Decreases in polyunsaturated fatty acid content improve heat stress tolerance during flowering and silicle development in pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.)

Jaikumar, Nikhil1 ; Garneau, Matthew2; Jarvis, Brice1; Phippen, Mary3; Phippen, Winthrop3; Bates, Philip2; Sedbrook, John 1

Published Apr 28, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ttdz08mcb

Data files

Apr 28, 2026 version files 229 KB

Jaikumar_Raw_Data_File_4-18-2025.xlsx

222.75 KB
README.md

6.25 KB

Abstract

This dataset contains phenotypic, biochemical, and reproductive measurements from wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and multiple CRISPR/Cas9-edited lines engineered for increased oleic acid content via mutations in FATTY ACID DESATURASE 2 (FAD2), REDUCED OLEATE DESATURATION1 (ROD1), and FATTY ACID ELONGASE1 (FAE1). The data are organized into 20 tables (Tables S1–S20) comprising quantitative measurements across seed composition, stress physiology, reproductive performance, and agronomic traits under control and elevated temperature conditions.

The dataset includes: (i) fatty acid composition profiles of seeds (Table S1); (ii) pollen viability measurements across a range of temperatures (Tables S2–S3); (iii) seed weight and yield components (Tables S4–S5, S16–S18); (iv) biochemical indicators of stress, including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS; Tables S6–S9), proline accumulation (Tables S10–S13), and peroxide content (Tables S14–S15) in leaves and silicles; (v) reproductive success under heat stress, including controlled crossing experiments (Table S19); and (vi) germination time-course data (Table S20). Measurements are reported as quantitative values (e.g., percent composition, viability percentages, concentration units, biomass, and yield metrics) with replication across genotypes and environmental treatments (control vs. heat stress at 34 °C/28 °C).

These data enable investigation of the relationships among fatty acid desaturation, membrane composition, oxidative stress, pollen thermotolerance, and yield stability. The dataset is structured to facilitate reuse in meta-analyses, crop modeling, and comparative studies of lipid metabolism and abiotic stress tolerance in oilseed crops. In particular, the parallel measurements across multiple independent gene-edited lines and environmental conditions support analyses of genotype-by-environment interactions and trait correlations spanning molecular to whole-plant scales.

All data are provided in tabular format suitable for statistical analysis and integration with other omics or phenotypic datasets. There are no human or animal subjects involved, and no ethical restrictions apply. The dataset is released under the terms specified by the repository, permitting reuse with appropriate attribution.

Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.ttdz08mcb

Description of the data and file structure

Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) is an emerging intermediate oilseed crop grown in the offseason between primary summer crops to produce three cash crops in two years. Previous efforts to improve seed oil quality produced Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) genome-edited lines with decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) levels, through loss of function of the FATTY ACID DESATURASE 2 (FAD2), REDUCED OLEATE DESATURATION1 (ROD1), and FATTY ACID ELONGASE1 (FAE1)** genes. While seed oil compositions were previously characterized, it remains unknown how vegetative and reproductive tissue compositions might differ and affect tolerance to high temperature (HT) conditions. In four growth chamber experiments, we explored HT tolerance during flowering and silicle development. Plants were subjected to a 34 °C day/ 28 °C night regime and compared to control plants maintained at 20 °C. Pollen grain viability at a range of temperatures, lipid peroxidation, and proline content in leaves and silicles following HT, and seed yield were measured. Both fad2 and rod1 mutant lines had relatively higher pollen viability (71% and 5,4%, respectively) under moderately elevated temperature (28 °C) compared to wild-type controls (37%). They also showed smaller decreases in seed yield (0% and 40% for fad2 and rod1, respectively, compared to 61% for the wild type), following HT exposure during the late flowering and early silicle development stages. Silicles of fad2 plants experienced 65% less lipid peroxidation under HT and 55% less buildup of proline, signifying less stress. The differential results of fad2 and rod1 are likely due to the role of FAD2 in membranes in all tissues, whereas ROD1 predominantly affects triacylglycerol (TAG) composition in oil-accumulating tissues, including pollen. Our results indicate that decreasing PUFAs, through gene editing, can increase heat tolerance in reproductive tissues as an auxiliary benefit accompanying improved seed oil quality.

Files and variables

File: Jaikumar_Raw_Data_File_4-18-2025.xlsx

Description:

Variables

Table S1. Content of individual fatty acids in wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S2. Pollen viability at a series of temperatures, in wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S3. Pollen viability at a series of temperatures, in wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S4. Seed weight in wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S5. Seed weight in wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S6. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content in leaves of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S7. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content in silicles of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S8. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content in leaves of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S9. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in silicles of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S10. Proline content in leaves of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S11. Proline content in silicles of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S12. Proline content in leaves of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S13. Proline content in silicles of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S14. Peroxide content in leaves and silicles of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S15. Peroxide content in leaves and silicles of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and six CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.
Table S16. Seed yield and biomass of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content, subjected to heat stress or control treatments.
Table S17. Seed yield and total dry biomass of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and four CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content, subjected to heat stress or control treatments.
Table S18. Seed yield and total dry biomass of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and three CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content, subjected to heat stress or control treatments.
Table S19. Attempted and successful crosses between separate pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L., cv. "Spring 32-10") individuals where the pollen donor ("Male"), the pollen recipient "Female"), or neither, was subjected to a 6-hour heat stress treatment at 34 °C.
Table S20. Germination, at various time points after planting, in seeds of wild-type pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and seven CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited lines with increased oleic acid content.

Code/software

Any program that will open a spreadsheet, such as Excel is recommended.

Access information

Not applicable.