Document Detail


Vertebrate fatty acyl desaturase with Δ4 activity.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20826444     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Biosynthesis of the highly biologically active long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic (ARA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, in vertebrates requires the introduction of up to three double bonds catalyzed by fatty acyl desaturases (Fad). Synthesis of ARA is achieved by Δ6 desaturation of 182n - 6 to produce 183n - 6 that is elongated to 203n - 6 followed by Δ5 desaturation. Synthesis of EPA from 183n - 3 requires the same enzymes and pathway as for ARA, but DHA synthesis reportedly requires two further elongations, a second Δ6 desaturation and a peroxisomal chain shortening step. This paper describes cDNAs, fad1 and fad2, isolated from the herbivorous, marine teleost fish (Siganus canaliculatus) with high similarity to mammalian Fad proteins. Functional characterization of the cDNAs by heterologous expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that Fad1 was a bifunctional Δ6/Δ5 Fad. Previously, functional dual specificity in vertebrates had been demonstrated for a zebrafish Danio rerio Fad and baboon Fad, so the present report suggests bifunctionality may be more widespread in vertebrates. However, Fad2 conferred on the yeast the ability to convert 225n - 3 to DHA indicating that this S. canaliculatus gene encoded an enzyme having Δ4 Fad activity. This is a unique report of a Fad with Δ4 activity in any vertebrate species and indicates that there are two possible mechanisms for DHA biosynthesis, a direct route involving elongation of EPA to 225n - 3 followed by Δ4 desaturation, as well as the more complicated pathway as described above.
Authors:
Yuanyou Li; Oscar Monroig; Liang Zhang; Shuqi Wang; Xiaozhong Zheng; James R Dick; Cuihong You; Douglas R Tocher
Related Documents :
20695754 - Urease activity and l-ascorbic acid.
19453514 - Pfab products determine the molecular species produced in bacterial polyunsaturated fat...
11984074 - Synthesis of a novel phosphatidylcholine conjugated to docosahexaenoic acid and methotr...
16919514 - Mechanisms for the hypotriglyceridemic effect of marine omega-3 fatty acids.
2721024 - Autosomal dominant lamellar ichthyosis exhibits an abnormal scale lipid pattern.
3320694 - The role of omega 3 fatty acids on insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2010-09-08
Journal Detail:
Title:  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America     Volume:  107     ISSN:  1091-6490     ISO Abbreviation:  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.     Publication Date:  2010 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-30     Completed Date:  2010-10-28     Revised Date:  2011-07-27    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7505876     Medline TA:  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  16840-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong 515063, China. yyli@stu.edu.cn
Data Bank Information
Bank Name/Acc. No.:
GENBANK/EF424276;  GU594278
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Cloning, Molecular
DNA, Complementary / genetics
Fatty Acid Desaturases / classification,  genetics,  metabolism*
Molecular Sequence Data
Perciformes / genetics,  metabolism*
Phylogeny
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/DNA, Complementary; EC 1.14.19.-/Fatty Acid Desaturases; EC 1.14.99.-/delta-4 fatty acid desaturase
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  A heterodimeric complex of the LRR proteins LRIM1 and APL1C regulates complement-like immunity in An...
Next Document:  Identification of the biosynthetic gene cluster for the pacidamycin group of peptidyl nucleoside ant...