Abstract: A novel method for improving the meat quality of an animal is provided. The method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with mixed tocotrienols in an amount effective to improve the meat quality. The mixed tocotrienols may be fed alone or in combination with other antioxidants, such as other plant phenolics, alpha lipoic acid and N-acetylcysteine. The method may be practiced on non-ruminants and ruminants.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the meat quality of an animal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with oleic acid and tocols and subsequently formulating the meat with a non-tocol antioxidant such as rosemary extract. The source of the oleic acid and/or tocols may be transgenic corn that employs the FAD-2 gene as a silencing agent for a high-oleic phenotype and/or expresses the HGGT gene for a high-tocotrienol phenotype. The method improves the quality of meat from both non-ruminants and ruminants.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the meat quality of an animal is provided. The method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with oleic acid and selected tocols in amounts effective to improve the meat quality. The method may be practiced on non-ruminants and ruminants.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the meat quality of an animal is provided. The method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with oleic acid and selected tocols in amounts effective to improve the meat quality. The method may be practiced on non-ruminants and ruminants.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the meat quality of an animal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with oleic acid and tocols and subsequently formulating the meat with a non-tocol antioxidant such as rosemary extract. The source of the oleic acid and/or tocols may be transgenic corn that employs the FAD-2 gene as a silencing agent for a high-oleic phenotype and/or expresses the HGGT gene for a high-tocotrienol phenotype. The method improves the quality of meat from both non-ruminants and ruminants.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the meat quality of an animal is provided. The method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with oleic acid and selected tocols in amounts effective to improve the meat quality. The method may be practiced on non-ruminants and ruminants.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the tissue quality of an animal is provided. The method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with gamma-tocopherol in an amount effective to improve the tissue quality. The gamma-tocopherol may be fed alone or in combination with other antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherol. The method may be practiced on ruminants and non-ruminants.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating the production and characteristics of oil in a plant or plant part thereof are provided. Compositions of the invention are nucleotide constructs that provide for expression of transcriptional activators that increase lipid biosynthesis in a plant in combination with the inhibition or disruption of starch biosynthesis and/or starch storage, and optionally in combination with expression of another polynucleotide of interest. Compositions also include transformed plants, plant cells, plant tissues, and plant seeds comprising these nucleotide constructs. The methods of the invention comprise introducing a combination of polynucleotides into a plant, wherein the polynucleotides provide for increased lipid biosynthesis and disruption of starch biosynthesis and/or starch storage, and optionally alteration of fatty acid metabolism. The methods and constructs find use in alteration of oil phenotype in a plant or plant part thereof.

Abstract: A novel method for improving the meat quality of an animal is provided. The method comprises feeding the animal a diet supplemented with mixed tocotrienols in an amount effective to improve the meat quality. The mixed tocotrienols may be fed alone or in combination with other antioxidants, such as other plant phenolics, alpha lipoic acid and N-acetylcysteine. The method may be practiced on non-ruminants and ruminants.

Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided that encode maize UDPGdH variant UDPGdH, and mutant UDPGdH proteins. These nucleic acid molecules can be used to produce transgenic plants having altered quality or quantity of starch. Also provided are vectors capable of expressing such nucleic acid molecules, host cells containing, such vectors, and polypeptides encoded by such nucleic acids.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of reducing cholesterol in animals and food products derived from such animals. The method includes feeding to the animals a low phytate food source so that the phytate phosphorus intake of the animal is reduced.

Abstract: Compositions providing increased energy content of animal feed using plant crop biomass which include a polyhydroxyalkanoate have been developed. In one embodiment, the compositions can be prepared using conventional techniques for harvesting and processing plant crops into forms useful as animal feed, wherein the plant, or parts thereof, have accumulated PHA, preferably in excess of 2% by dry weight of the plant tissue. In a preferred embodiment, the PHA is accumulated in corn or an oilseed. The feed compositions can include the PHA-containing meal byproduct from corn or oilseed processing. In another embodiment, the PHA can be provided with the green tissue of plants, such as clover, alfalfa, sorghum, and silage corn.

Abstract: A process of increasing squalene and sterol accumulation in a transgenic plant by increasing the amount of a gene encoding a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity is disclosed. The amount is preferably increased by transforming plant cells with a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a vector operatively linked to an exogenous DNA segment that encodes a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity, and a promoter suitable for driving the expression of said polypeptide to form a transformed plant cell and regenerating a transgenic plant from that transformed cell. Also disclosed are a process of increasing pest resistance in a transgenic plant, transgenic plants and transgenic seeds capable of germinating into transgenic plants.

Abstract: A method of increasing the accumulation of squalene and specific sterols in yeast comprising increasing the expression level of a structural gene encoding a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity in a mutant yeast having single or double defects in the expression of sterol biosynthetic enzymes is provided. The expression level of a structural gene is preferably increased by transforming yeast with a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a vector operatively linked to an exogenous DNA segment that encodes a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity and a promoter that is suitable for driving the expression of the encoded polypeptide in the transformed yeast. The polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity is preferably a truncated, active HMG-CoA reductase enzyme. Recombinant DNA molecules useful for transforming yeast and mutant yeast transformed with such recombinant DNA molecules are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of increasing sterol accumulation in a plant by increasing the copy number of a gene encoding a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity is disclosed. The copy number is preferably increased by transforming plants with a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a vector operatively linked to an exogenous DNA segment that encodes a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity, and a promoter suitable for driving the expression of said polypeptide. Also disclosed are a method of increasing cycloartenol accumulation in a plant, a method of increasing the resistance of plants to pests and the transformed plants themselves.

Abstract: A process of increasing squalene and sterol accumulation in a transgenic plant by increasing the amount of a gene encoding a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity is disclosed. The amount is preferably increased by transforming plant cells with a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a vector operatively linked to an exogenous DNA segment that encodes a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity, and a promoter suitable for driving the expression of said polypeptide to form a transformed plant cell and regenerating a transgenic plant from that transformed cell. Also disclosed are a process of increasing pest resistance in a transgenic plant, transgenic plants and transgenic seeds capable of germinating into transgenic plants.

Abstract: A method of increasing sterol accumulation in a plant by increasing the copy number of a gene encoding a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity is disclosed. The copy number is preferably increased by transforming plants with a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a vector operatively linked to an exogenous DNA segment that encodes a polypeptide having HMG-CoA reductase activity, and a promoter suitable for driving the expression of said polypeptide. Also disclosed are a method of increasing cycloartenol accumulation in a plant, a method of increasing the resistance of plants to pests and the transformed plants themselves.