CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF A CYANOBACTERIAL DELTA(6)-DESATURASE Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • © 1993 CSIC Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. All rights reserved. A cyanobacterial gene encoding δ6-desaturase was cloned by expression of a Synechocystis genomic cosmid library in Anabaena, a cyanobacterium that lacks δ6-desaturase but does have linoleic acid (18:2), the substrate for this enzyme. Expression of the Synechocystis δ6-desaturase gene in Anabaena resulted in the accumulation of γ-linolenic acid (GLA) and octadecatetraenoic acid (18:4). The predicted 359 amino acid sequence of the Synechocystis δ6-desaturase shares limited sequence similarity with other reported cyanobacterial and plant desaturases. Analysis of three overlapping cosmids revealed a δ12-desaturase gene linked to the δ6-desaturase gene. Expression of Synechocystis δ6- and δ12-desaturases in Synechococcus, a cyanobacterium deficient in both desaturases, resulted in the production of linoleic acid and γ-linolenic acid.

published proceedings

  • GRASAS Y ACEITES

author list (cited authors)

  • REDDY, A. S., NUCCIO, M. L., GROSS, L. M., FREYSSINET, M., & THOMAS, T. L.

complete list of authors

  • REDDY, AS||NUCCIO, ML||GROSS, LM||FREYSSINET, M||THOMAS, TL

publication date

  • January 1993