Enhancing the Viability of Camelina (Camelina sativa) and Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) Proteins through Breeding

Camelina and pennycress oilseeds are high in fat (30-38%) and protein (20-30%), making them a lucrative investment opportunity for the food market. These winter cover crops have captivated recent research due to their environmental sustainability. Developing these crops as sources of functional and nutritional protein is dependent on identifying varietal differences to establish targeted and selective breeding.

This research aims to investigate varietal differences in protein structure, functionality, and nutritional quality among diverse breeding lines of camelina and pennycress.

A previously optimized protein extraction method involving salt solubilization combined with membrane filtration, was used to produce protein isolates from 5 unique camelina and 5 unique pennycress breeding lines. These breeding lines were selected based on genetic diversities identified through extensive protein profiling of different camelina and pennycress varieties using SDS-PAGE. Comprehensive protein characterization was conducted for each protein isolate, evaluating structural, functional, and nutritional properties for this comparative analysis.

Camelina isolates had a protein purity of 80-91% with yields of 48-64%. Pennycress isolates had slightly higher purity of 88-91%, but lower yields of 41-45%. Distinctive cruciferin and napin banding was noted among the different lines. In contrast, pennycress cultivars had very similar protein profile. Camelina cruciferin had higher thermal stability than that of pennycress. At pH 7, camelina ASCN 413 and Pennycress MN 106 demonstrated the highest solubility. In terms of solubility at pH 3.4, Joelle outperformed all samples, including commercial soy and pea protein. Camelina protein demonstrated superior emulsification and gelation properties compared to pennycress.

This work is foundational to establishing a successful breeding program for the development of camelina and pennycress crops to produce functional protein ingredients, targeting a dual benefit to the environment and to the consumer. Developing these oilseeds as competitive protein options will transform camelina and pennycress into multifaceted protein crops for successful food applications.