title: Genetic dissection of polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are important membrane components and precursors of signaling molecules. To investigate the roles of these fatty acids in growth, development, and neurological function in an animal system, we isolated Caenorhabditis elegans mutants deficient in PUFA synthesis by direct analysis of fatty acid composition. C. elegans possesses all the desaturase and elongase activities to synthesize arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid from saturated fatty acid precursors. In our screen we identified mutants with defects in each fatty acid desaturation and elongation step of the PUFA biosynthetic pathway. The fatty acid compositions of the mutants reveal the substrate preferences of the desaturase and elongase enzymes and clearly demarcate the steps of this pathway. The mutants show that C. elegans does not require n3 or Delta5-unsaturated PUFAs for normal development under laboratory conditions. However, mutants with more severe PUFA deficiencies display growth and neurological defects. The mutants provide tools for investigating the roles of PUFAs in membrane biology and cell function in this animal model.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6340, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Browse
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases / Q000235:genetics; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D000098859:Long-Chain-Fatty-Acid-CoA Ligase
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C040448:delta-12 fatty acid desaturase; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases; C090799:FAA2 protein, S cerevisiae; D000098859:Long-Chain-Fatty-Acid-CoA Ligase