title: Identification of a novel type of polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase involved in arachidonic acid biosynthesis.
abstract: Arachidonic acid (ARA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and an essential component of membrane lipids. However, the PUFA synthase required for ARA biosynthesis has not been identified in any organism. To identify the PUFA synthase producing ARA, we determined the draft genome sequence of the marine bacterium Aureispira marina, which produces a high level of ARA, and found a gene cluster encoding a putative PUFA synthase for ARA production. Expression of the gene cluster in Escherichia coli induced production of ARA, demonstrating that the gene cluster encodes a PUFA synthase required for ARA biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., Bioprocess Development Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0841, Japan; Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan. Electronic address: tetsuro.ujihara@kyowa-kirin.co.jp.
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ujihara
authors.affiliation: Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., Bioprocess Development Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0841, Japan.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., Bioprocess Development Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0841, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitsuhashi
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D041963:Bacteroidetes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005810:Multigene Family
chemical_list: D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases
keywords: Arachidonic acid; Aureispira marina; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase; pfa gene