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Cloning and Characterization of the ∆6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Elongase from the Green Microalga Parietochloris incisa

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Lipids

Abstract

The very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (VLC-PUFA), arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4ω-6) is a component of neuron tissues such as brain and retina cells and a primary substrate for the biosynthesis of biologically active eicosanoids. The green freshwater microalga Parietochloris incisa (Trebouxiophyceae) has been shown to accumulate an extraordinary high content of ARA-rich triacylglycerols. It was thus interesting to characterize the genes involved in lipid biosynthesis in this alga. We report here the identification of a cDNA encoding for a P. incisa PUFA elongase (PiELO1) and demonstrate that the expression of PiELO1 in yeast Saccharomyces cereviseae confers its elongase activity on C18 ∆6 PUFA. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that PiELO1 is highly similar to functionally characterized ∆6 PUFA elongase genes from other green algae and lower plants. Quantitative real-time PCR expression studies showed that PiELO1 is upregulated under nitrogen starvation, the condition triggering and enhancing storage oil and ARA accumulation in P. incisa.

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Abbreviations

ARA:

Arachidonic acid

DGLA:

Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid

GLA:

γ-Linolenic acid

EPA:

Eicosapentaenoic acid

STA:

Stearidonic acid

VLC-PUFA:

Very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Israeli ministry of science, culture and sport.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker Campus, 84990, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel

    Umidjon Iskandarov, Inna Khozin-Goldberg & Zvi Cohen

  2. Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Rivka Ofir

Authors
  1. Umidjon Iskandarov
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  2. Inna Khozin-Goldberg
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  3. Rivka Ofir
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  4. Zvi Cohen
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Correspondence to Inna Khozin-Goldberg.

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Iskandarov, U., Khozin-Goldberg, I., Ofir, R. et al. Cloning and Characterization of the ∆6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Elongase from the Green Microalga Parietochloris incisa . Lipids 44, 545–554 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-009-3301-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-009-3301-y

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