title: Functional analysis of a fatty acid elongase from arachidonic acid-producing Mortierella alpina 1S-4.
abstract: We describe the isolation and characterization of a gene (MAELO) that encodes a fatty acid elongase from arachidonic acid-producing fungus Mortierella alpina 1S-4. Although the homologous MAELO gene had already been isolated from M. alpina ATCC 32221, its function had not yet been identified. The MAELO gene from M. alpina 1S-4 was confirmed to encode a fatty acid elongase by its expression in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of the yeast transformant revealed the accumulation of 22-, 24-, and 26-carbon saturated fatty acids. On the other hand, RNA interference of the MAELO gene in M. alpina 1S-4 was carried out. The gene-silenced strain obtained on RNA interference exhibited low contents of 20-, 22-, and 24-carbon saturated fatty acids and a high content of stearic acid (18 carbons), compared with those in the wild strain. The enzyme encoded by the MAELO gene was demonstrated to be involved in the biosynthesis of 20-, 22-, and 24-carbon saturated fatty acids in M. alpina 1S-4.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sakuradani
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanamaru
authors.forename: Sakayu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020094:Mortierella / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases