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Identification of a novel C22-∆4-producing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) specific polyunsaturated fatty acid desaturase gene from Isochrysis galbana and its expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Abstract

Isochrysis galbana, produces long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3). A novel gene (IgFAD4-2), encoding a C22-∆4 polyunsaturated fatty acid specific desaturase, has been isolated and characterized from I. galbana. A full-length cDNA of 1,302 bp was cloned by LA-PCR technique. The IgFAD4-2 encoded a protein of 433 amino acids that shares 78 % identity with a previously reported ∆4-desaturase (IgFAD4-1) from I. galbana. The function of IgFAD4-2 was deduced by its heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which then desaturated docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n-3) to DHA. The conversion ratio of DPA to DHA was 34 %, which is higher than other ∆4-desaturases cloned from algae. However, IgFAD4-2 did not catalyze the desaturation or elongation reactions with other fatty acids. These results confirm that IgFAD4-2 has C22-∆4-PUFAs-specific desaturase activity.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31270096).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China

    Tonglei Shi, Aiqun Yu, Ming Li, Xiuyuan Ou, Laijun Xing & Mingchun Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, The School of Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China

    Ming Li

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  1. Tonglei Shi
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  2. Aiqun Yu
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  3. Ming Li
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  4. Xiuyuan Ou
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  5. Laijun Xing
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Correspondence to Mingchun Li.

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Shi, T., Yu, A., Li, M. et al. Identification of a novel C22-∆4-producing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) specific polyunsaturated fatty acid desaturase gene from Isochrysis galbana and its expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Biotechnol Lett 34, 2265–2274 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-1028-y

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