title: Microalgae as a Source for VLC-PUFA Production.
abstract: Microalgae present a huge and still insufficiently tapped resource of very long-chain omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFA) for human nutrition and medicinal applications. This chapter describes the diversity of unicellular eukaryotic microalgae in respect to VLC-PUFA biosynthesis. Then, we outline the major biosynthetic pathways mediating the formation of VLC-PUFA by sequential desaturation and elongation of C18-PUFA acyl groups. We address the aspects of spatial localization of those pathways and elaborate on the role for VLC-PUFA in microalgal cells. Recent progress in microalgal genetic transformation and molecular engineering has opened the way to increased production efficiencies for VLC-PUFA. The perspectives of photobiotechnology and metabolic engineering of microalgae for altered or enhanced VLC-PUFA production are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 84990, Israel. khozin@bgu.ac.il.
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khozin-Goldberg
authors.affiliation: Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 84990, Israel.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leu
authors.affiliation: Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 84990, Israel.
authors.forename: Sammy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boussiba
mesh_terms: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
keywords: Biotechnology; Diversity; Lipid metabolism; Microalgae; Omega-3 LC-PUFA; Omega-6 LC-PUFA