Production of very long chain polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in plants.
We report the production of two very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), in substantial quantities in a higher plant. This was achieved using genes encoding enzymes participating in the omega3/6 Delta8 -desaturation biosynthetic pathways for the formation of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Arabidopsis thaliana was transformed sequentially with genes encoding a Delta9 -specific elongating activity from Isochrysis galbana, a Delta8 -desaturase from Euglena gracilis and a Delta5 -desaturase from Mortierella alpina. Instrumental in the successful reconstitution of these C20 polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathways was the I. galbana C18-Delta9 -elongating activity, which may bypass rate-limiting steps present in the conventional Delta6 -desaturase/elongase pathways. The accumulation of EPA and AA in transgenic plants is a breakthrough in the search for alternative sustainable sources of fish oils.
Qi
Baoxiu
B
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1UG, England, UK. bssbq@bath.ac.uk
Fraser
Tom
T
Mugford
Sam
S
Dobson
Gary
G
Sayanova
Olga
O
Butler
Justine
J
Napier
Johnathan A
JA
Stobart
A Keith
AK
Lazarus
Colin M
CM
D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D017796:Caulimovirus / Q000235:genetics; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C119257:delta-8 fatty acid desaturase; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid