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Letter

Nature Genetics 40, 367–372 (1 March 2008) | doi:10.1038/ng.85

A phenylalanine in DGAT is a key determinant of oil content and composition in maize

Peizhong Zheng , William B Allen , Keith Roesler , Mark E Williams , Shirong Zhang , Jiming Li , Kimberly Glassman , Jerry Ranch , Douglas Nubel , William Solawetz , Dinakar Bhattramakki , Victor Llaca , St|[eacute]|phane Deschamps , Gan-Yuan Zhong , Mitchell C Tarczynski & Bo Shen

Plant oil is an important renewable resource for biodiesel production and for dietary consumption by humans and livestock. Through genetic mapping of the oil trait in plants, studies have reported multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with small effects, but the molecular basis of oil QTLs remains largely unknown.