Modification of fatty acid composition in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) by expression of a borage delta6-desaturase.
The improvement of nutritional quality is one potential application for the genetic modification of plants. One possible target for such manipulation is the modification of fatty acid metabolism. In this work, expression of a borage delta6-desaturase cDNA in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) has been shown to produce gamma-linolenic acid (GLA; 18:83 delta6,9,12) and octadecatetraenoic acid (OTA; 18:4 delta6,9,12,15) in transgenic leaf and fruit tissue. This genetic modification has also, unexpectedly, resulted in a reduction in the percentage of linoleic acid (LA 18:2 delta9,12) and a concomitant increase in the percentage of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3 delta9,12,15) in fruit tissue. These changes in fatty acid composition are thought to be beneficial for human health.
Cook
David
D
The University of Nottingham, School of Biosciences, Division of Nutritional Biochemistry, Loughborough, Leics.
Grierson
Don
D
Jones
Craigh
C
Wallace
Andrew
A
West
Gill
G
Tucker
Greg
G
D029683:Borago / Q000201:enzymology*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase; C013641:parinaric acid