Mucor rouxii delta9-desaturase gene is transcriptionally regulated during cell growth and by low temperature.
Unsaturated fatty acids are essential lipid components of Mucor rouxii. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is synthesized via the desaturase enzymes: delta9-desaturase catalyzes mono-unsaturated fatty acids that are utilized as substrate for GLA biosynthesis. We cloned and characterized a M. rouxii gene highly homologous to delta9-desaturase genes. This sequence encodes for a protein of 452 amino acids and contains two introns of 60 and 61 nucleotides. Delta9-desaturase of M. rouxii is expressed during cell growth when cells are subjected to temperature shifts. At 30 degrees C, the mRNA level of late log phase is about 6.4-fold higher than that of early log phase. A shift from 30 to 15 degrees C induced transcription of delta9-desaturase gene in both early and late log phases. However, the pattern of increased transcription by cold induction varied depending on growth conditions: transcription of late log phase is higher than that of early log phase. These results indicate that cell growth and low temperature influence the expression of delta9-desaturase gene and fatty acid composition of M. rouxii.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009089:Mucor / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013230:Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D013696:Temperature