title: Increased fatty acid unsaturation and production of arachidonic acid by homologous over-expression of the mitochondrial malic enzyme in Mortierella alpina.
abstract: Malic enzyme (ME) catalyses the oxidative decarboxylation of L-malate to pyruvate and provides NADPH for intracellular metabolism, such as fatty acid synthesis. Here, the mitochondrial ME (mME) gene from Mortierella alpina was homologously over-expressed. Compared with controls, fungal arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4 n-6) content increased by 60 % without affecting the total fatty acid content. Our results suggest that enhancing mME activity may be an effective mean to increase industrial production of ARA in M. alpina.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guangfei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Haiqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Xiaoyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yuanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Zhennan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yong Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008293:Malates / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020094:Mortierella / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008293:Malates; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; C030298:malic acid; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase