title: Isolation and functional characterization of fatty acid delta5-elongase gene from the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha L.
abstract: Bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha L. produces C22 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (VLCPUFA). Thus far, no enzyme that mediates elongation of C20 VLCPUFAs has been identified in land plants. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of the gene MpELO2, which encodes an ELO-like fatty acid elongase in M. polymorpha. Heterologous expression in yeast demonstrated that MpELO2 encodes delta5-elongase, which mediates elongation of arachidonic (20:4) and eicosapentaenoic acids (20:5). Phylogenetic and gene structural analysis indicated that the MpELO2 gene is closely related to bryophyte Delta6-elongase genes for C18 fatty acid elongation and diverged from them by local gene duplication.
authors.affiliation: Division of Integrated Life Science, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kajikawa
authors.forename: Katsuyuki T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yamato
authors.forename: Yasuyoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Hideya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuzawa
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohchi
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D020440:Gene Duplication; D015870:Gene Expression; D047008:Marchantia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases