title: Activity, Expression, and Substrate Preference of the Δ(6)-Desaturase in Slow- or Fast-Growing Rabbit Genotypes.
abstract: In the present paper liver fatty acid Δ(6) desaturation (fads2) activity was analyzed in two rabbit strains with slow- (S, 27.5 g/day) or fast-growing (F, 48.5 g/day) rate. The fatty acid profile of the liver showed a different PUFA profile in the two strains with a lower n-6/n-3 ratio in the S rabbits. The expression of fads2 was 2-fold higher in S than in F rabbits, whereas enzyme activity was higher in F and more oriented toward the desaturation of linoleic acid (90%). In contrast, S showed a higher preference for linolenic acid (38.9 vs 10%). This study identified a single difference in the fads2 amino acid sequence between these two strains. Such a difference consists in the substitution of Gly104 to Ser104 in the sequence of F fads2. These results indicate for the first time that genetic selection for performance may affect the preference for PUFA toward desaturation of linoleic/linolenic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia , Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castellini
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia , Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dal Bosco
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia , Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia , Piazza Gambuli 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davidescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia , Piazza Gambuli 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lanfranco
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia , Piazza Gambuli 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Macchioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria , Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rimoldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria , Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy.|Inter-University Centre for Research in Protein Biotechnologies, "The Protein Factory", Polytechnic University of Milan and University of Insubria , 21100 Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Genciana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005838:Genotype; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase
keywords: competition; linoleic acid; liver metabolism; long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; rabbit