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Unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), including oleic acid (OA, C18:1n-9), linoleic acid (LA, C18:2n-6) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3), are major components of membrane lipids in Pichia pastoris GS115. In order to clarify the biosynthesis pathway of UFAs on the molecular level and investigate their possible roles in growth and development of this strain, we here report modified strains with disrupted desaturase gene by homologous recombination. Gas chromatography analysis of fatty acid composition in the corresponding mutants confirmed that ∆(12)-desaturase encoded by Fad12 was responsible for the formation of LA, and ALA was synthesized by ∆(15)-desaturase encoded by Fad15. Simultaneous deletion of Fad9A and Fad9B was lethal and supplementation of OA could restore growth, indicating that possibly both Fad9A and Fad9B encoded ∆(9)-desaturase that converted SA into OA. Phenotypic analysis demonstrated that wild type and Fad15 mutant grew at almost the same rate, Fad12 mutant grew much slower than these two strains. Moreover, OA was positively correlated to cold tolerance and ethanol tolerance of GS115, whereas LA and ALA did not affect cold tolerance and ethanol tolerance of it. In addition, we showed that tolerance of GS115 to high concentration of methanol was independent of these three UFAs.

Here we investigated the regulation of Pichia pastoris desaturase genes by low temperature and exogenous fatty acids in the late-exponential phase at the transcriptional level. Time-course studies of gene expression showed that mRNA levels of four desaturase genes were rapidly and transiently enhanced by low temperature and suppressed by exogenous oleic acid. Stearic acid showed no obvious repression of mRNA levels of Fad12 and Fad15 and a slight increase in Fad9A and Fad9B mRNA levels. Using a promoter-reporter gene construct, we demonstrated that the pFAD15 promoter activity was induced by low temperature in a time-dependent manner and reduced in a dose- and time-dependent manner by unsaturated fatty acids. Also, there was no absolute correlation between mRNA abundance and production of corresponding fatty acids. Disruption of Spt23 resulted in a decrease in transcript levels of Fad9A and Fad9B, but had little effect on the other desaturase genes. Consistent with these observations, a decrease in the relative amount of oleic acid (OLA) and an increase in the relative content of linoleic acid and ALA with different degrees were clearly observed in the stationary phase cells of ΔSpt23 mutant. Further analysis showed that the effect of low-temperature activation and OLA inhibition on expression of Fad9A and Fad9B seemed to disappear after disruption of the Spt23 gene, which indicated that Spt23p is essential for the expression of two Δ9-desaturase genes internally and probably involved in the regulation of Δ9-desaturase genes transcription in response to external stimuli, and thereby plays a role in the synthesis of OLA.

Aim: To clone delta(12)-fatty acid desaturase gene of Mortierella isabellina and to functionally characterize this gene in vitro and in vivo., Methods: Reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to clone the open reading frame of delta(12)-fatty acid desaturase gene (D12D) of Mortierella isabellina. Plasmids pEMICL12 and pYMICL12 were constructed with it. pEMICL12 was transformed into Escherichia coli (E.coli) strain BL21 using CaCl(2) method for expression after induction with IPTG. pTMICL12 was transformed into Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain INVSc1 using lithium acetate method for expression under the induction of galactose. Northern blotting method was used to investigate the effect of temperature on the transcriptional level of this gene in S.cerevisiae strain INVSc1., Results: Recombinant plasmids pEMICL12 and pTMICL12 were successfully constructed and transformed into E.coli and S.cerevisiae separately with appropriate method. After induction with IPTG and galactose, it was found that expression of delta(12)-fatty acid desaturase genes in E.coli and S. cerevisiae under appropriate conditions led to the production of active delta(12)-fatty acid desaturase, which could convert 17.876% and 17.604% of oleic acid respectively to linoleic acid by GC-MS detection in vitro and in vivo., Conclusion: Cloning and expression of M.isabellina D12D gene in E.coli and S.cerevisiae is successfully completed.

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, C18:3delta(6, 9, 12) is one of nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids in human and animal diets. Vast majority oilseeds crops do not produce GLA. Delta6-fatty acid desaturase (D6D) is the rate-limiting enzyme, which catalyzes the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to GLA and octadecatetraenoic acid (OTA). In this study, a delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene isolated from Mortierella isabellina was transformed into some soybean cultivars Jilin 35, Jilin 47, Suinong 10, Suinong 14 and Heinong 37 successfully by agrobacterium-mediated cotylendon node transformation system. The results of PCR analysis, Southern blotting and Northern blotting with transgenic plants indicated that target gene was integrated into transgenic soybean genome and expressed at the level of RNA. Meanwhile, total fatty acids were extracted from transgenic seeds and methyl-esterified. Analysis of gas chromatograph (GC) showed that a novel peak corresponding to the standard of GLA methyl ester was detected, the highest percentage of gamma-lenolenic acid to total fatty acids in transgenic seeds was 27. 067%, which indicated that Mortierella isabellina delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene was expressed in transgenic soybean. It is so far the first report on the expression of delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene in transgenic soybean in the world.

A 593 bp DNA fragment was amplified from Rhizopus arrhizus NK030037 with degenerate oligonucleotide primers designed based on the sequences information for fungi delta6-fatty acid desaturase genes by RT-PCR and sequenced. Gene specific primers derived from this partial sequence were used for the amplification of the 3'- and 5'-ends of this cDNA by RACE method, and this lead to a full-length cDNA sequence of 1 482 bp was amplified. Sequence analysis showed this cDNA sequence had an open reading frame(ORF) of 1 377 bp coding 458 amino acids of 52 kD. The deduced amino-acid sequence of the ORF showed similarity to those of the above delta6-fatty acid desaturases which comprised the characteristics of membrane-bound desaturases, including three conserved histidine-rich boxes and hydropathy profile. A cytochrome b5-like domain was observed at the N-terminus. The full-length cDNA sequence is a putative novel delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene. To elucidate the function of the protein, two specific primers corresponding to the nucleotide sequences of start and stop codons were used to amplify the coding sequence. The amplified cDNA RAD6 was subcloned into the expression vector pYES2.0 to generate a recombinant plasmid pYRAD6, which was subsequently transformed into Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain INVScl for heterologous expression by lithium acetate method. Grown to logarithmic phase at 30 degrees C, the transformed cells were supplemented with 0.5 mmol/L. Linoleic acid and induced by 2% galactose for a further 48 h of cultivation at 20 degrees. Total fatty acids were extracted from the induced cells and subjected to methyl-esterification. The resultant fatty acid methyl esters(FAME) were analyzed by gas chromatography(GC). A novel peak corresponding to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) methyl ester standards was detected with the same retention time, which was absent in the cell transformed with empty vector. The percentage of this new fatty acid to total fatty acids was 3.85%. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry( GC-MS) analysis of this fatty acid methyl derivative demonstrated that the novel peak was GLA methyl ester. These results showed that the transgenic product exhibited delta6-fatty acid desaurase activity, converting LA to GLA specifically.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including gamma-linolenic acid are valuable products because of their involvement in several aspects of human health care. GLA has been claimed to play a crucial role in development and prevention of some skin diseases, diabetes, reproductive disorder and others. At present, market demand for most gamma-linolenic acid is growing continually and current sources are inadequate for satisfying this demand due to the significant problems of low productivity, complex and expensive downstream process and unstable quality. Therefore, seeking for alternative sources are demanding. delta6-fatty acid desaturase is the rate-limiting enzyme for the biosynthesis of PUFAs, which catalyses the conversion of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid to gamma-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid respectively. Unfortunately, the structure information on membrane desaturases is scarce because of the technical limitations in obtaining quantities of purified protein and the intrinsic difficulties in obtaining crystals from membrane proteins. With the isolation of the genes coding for delta6-fatty acid desaturase from various organisms, its characteristics will be elucidated gradually. Here we concisely reviewed the recent progress on studies of molecular biology including the cloning of delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene, structure and function, phylogeny and prospects of gene engineering application.

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, C18:3delta6.9.12) is nutritional and important polyunsaturated fatty acid in human and animal diets. GLA play an important role in hormone regulation and fatty acid metabolization. Furthermore it is also the biological precursor of a group of molecules, including prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes. Vast majority of oilseed crops do not produce GLA, but linoleic acid (LA, C18:2delta9.12) as its substrate. GLA is only produced by a small number of oilseed plants such as evening promrose ( Oenotheera spp.), borage (Borago officinalis) and etc. delta6-fatty acid desaturase (D6D) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of GLA. It can convert from linoleic acid to linolenic acid. To produce GLA in tobacco, plant expression vector was first constructed. To facilitate preparation of plant expression constructs, flanking Xba I and Bgl II restriction enzyme sites were added to the coding region of clone pTMICL6 by PCR amplification. pTMICL6 contains delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene cloned from Mortierella isabellina which is an oil-producing fugus. The PCR product was purified and subcloned into the plant expression vector pGA643 to generate the recombinant vector pGAMICL6 which contains the ORF of the D6D gene of Mortierella isabellina, together with regulatory elements consisting of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and the nopaline synthase (nos) termination sequence. The plasmid pGAMICL6 was transformed into Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 by method of freeze thawing of liquid nitrogen. Transformants were selected by plating on YEB medium plates containing kanamycin and streptomycin and grown overnight at 28 degrees C, then transformants were further identified by PCR. The positive transformant containing the plant expression vector pGAMICL6 was transformed into tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) via Agrobacterium infection. Transgenic plants were selected on 100 microg/mL kanamycin. Plants were maintained in axionic culture under controlled conditions. Total nucleic acids were extracted and purified from anti-kanamycin transgenic tobacco and were analysed by PCR. 48 out of 80 transgenic plants were positive, in other words, transformation efficiency is 60% . This shows that Mortierella isabellina D6D gene is transformed into tobacco. Genomic DNA from PCR positive transgenic tobacco plants was digested with Hind III restriction enzyme and fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Southern blotting was performed with strandard procedures for vacuum transfer of nucleic acids to nylon membrane. The probe was delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene from M. isabellina, which was labeled with DIG-dUTP via random-primed labeling. Hybridization and immumological detection were carried out the kit of DIG detection. The result shows single hybridizing bands in each of the transgenic tobacco plants DNA, but no hybridization was observed to non-transgenic tobacco. This indicates that delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene is integrated into the genome of transgenic tobacco. To provide further evidence that the introduction of the M. isabellina cDNA into the tobacco genome was responsible for the novel desaturation products, total RNA was isolated from GLA-positive transgenic tobacco plants via both PCR and Southern blotting and separated by electrophoresis through 1% formaldehyde agarose gel. Northern blotting including probe labeling, hybridization and detection was the same as Southern blotting in operation approach. A positive hybridization signal of identical mobility was obtained from RNA isolated from the transgenic tobacco plants, but not from the control tobacco plant. At last, total fatty acids extracted from the positive transgenic tobacco were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) of methyl esters to confirm the transgenic tobacco containing a functional delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene. The result shows that two peaks were observed in the chromatogram of FAMes. GLA and octadecatetraenoic acid (OTA, C18:4delta6.9.12.15) respectively have 19.7% and 3.5% of the total fatty acids in the transgenic plant. The presence of both GLA and OTA indicates that the delta6-fatty acid desaturase used both linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3delta6.9.12.15) as substrates, and this may be responsible for the decrease in ALA observed in the transgenic line. That was the first report about the expression of M. isabellina delta6-fatty acid desaturase gene in tobacco. All results mentioned above have laid the foundation of the thorough studying on an breeding transgenic oilseeds containing GLA to change the fatty acid composition of conventional oilseeds, it is significant to study on regulation mechanism of fatty acid desaturase.