In various aspects, the invention provides Brassica juncea plants, seeds,
cells, nucleic acid sequences and oils. Edible oil derived from plants of
the invention may have significantly higher oleic acid content than other
B. juncea plants. In one embodiment, the B. juncea line MJ02-357-3
contains a mutant allele MJ02-313-1/BjFAD2-a at the BjFAD2-a gene locus,
having a single base-pair change (a G to A substitution in the ORF at
position 281 in reference to the first ATG start codon) relative to the
wild type sequence. The change is predicted to encode a Glycine-94
Aspartic acid mutation in the sequence of the predicted BjFAD2-a protein.
In another embodiment, the B. juncea line MJ02-357-3 contains a mutant
allele MJ02-357-3/BjFAD2-a at the BjFAD2-a gene locus, having a single
base-pair change (a C to T substitution in the ORF at position 647 in
reference to the first ATG start codon) relative to the wild type
sequence. The change is predicted to encode a Proline-216 Leucine
mutation in the sequence of the predicted BjFAD2-a protein. As a result
of these mutations, it can be predicted that the function of the BjFAD2-a
proteins are negatively affected in Brassica juncea lines MJ02-313-1 and
MJ357-3 as reflected in the increased levels of oleic acid in seed oil in
comparison with the wild-type line J96D-4830. Seeds from MJ02-313-1 and
MJ02-357-3 plants may for example yield an oil having oleic acid content
of greater than 70% by weight.