Genetic Regulation and Breeding Application of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids Metabolism in Rice

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), with carbon chain length of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, have received substantial attention in metabolism and applications in health, agriculture and industry. They have shown promising therapeutic effects for metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and neuro-triglycerides (MTGs) enriched in fatty acids. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most widely used starchy crops around the world. New varieties have a lower level of starch and include lipid profiles that could make rice oil possess better nutritional quality and generate novel possibilities in biofuel production. With the help of new genetic and breeding techniques, the expression of genes that involve fatty acid biosynthesis can be altered. CRISPR/Cas9 and marker-assisted selection (MAS) are currently enhancing the fatty acid content in rice varieties without affecting the yield and various agronomic traits. This review presents the progress on the knowledge of rice MCFA biosynthetic pathways, genetic determinants of MCFA biosynthesis, and breeding technologies for enhancing MCFA production in rice. It also addresses wider implications of this research, including possible enhancement in human nutritional quality and development of sustainable agriculture.