title: The expressions of Delta 9-, Delta 12-desaturases and an elongase by the extremely halotolerant black yeast Hortaea werneckii are salt dependent.
abstract: The black yeast-like fungus Hortaea werneckii is the predominant fungal species in salterns, and it is extremely halotolerant. The restructuring of the H. werneckii membrane lipid composition is one of its adaptations to high concentrations of salt, which is mainly achieved by increasing the unsaturation of its phospholipid fatty acids. Genes encoding three fatty acid-modifying enzymes, Delta(9)-, Delta(12)-desaturases and an elongase, have been identified in the genome of H. werneckii, each in two copies. Their transcription profiles show responsiveness to different salinity conditions, with the lowest expression at optimal salinity. Transcriptional responses to hyperosmotic and hypo-osmotic shock show substantial differences between cells exposed to osmotic shock and cells adapted to an osmotically stressful environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Cene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gostincar
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plemenitas
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gunde-Cimerman
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010802:Phylogeny; D012492:Salts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013230:Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D012492:Salts; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D013230:Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase; C040448:delta-12 fatty acid desaturase; C029627:delta-9 fatty acid desaturase; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases