title: Functional identification of a fatty acid delta5 desaturase gene from Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: We have identified a cDNA from the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans that encodes a fatty acid delta5 desaturase. Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing the full-length cDNA was able to convert di-homo-gamma-linolenic acid to arachidonic acid, thus confirming delta5 desaturation. The 1341 bp delta5 desaturase sequence contained an N-terminal cytochrome b5 domain and was located within a kilobase of the C. elegans delta6 desaturase on chromosome IV. With an amino acid identity of 45% it is possible that one of these genes arose from the other by gene duplication. This is the first example of a delta5 desaturase gene isolated from an animal.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK. louise.michaelson@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Michaelson
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Napier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lazarus
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Stobart
mesh_terms: D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid