Functional characterisation of two cytochrome b 5-fusion desaturases from Anemone leveillei : the unexpected identification of a fatty acid delta6-desaturase

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Whitney, H. M., Michaelson, L. V., Sayanova, O. V., Pickett, J. A. and Napier, J. A. 2003. Functional characterisation of two cytochrome b 5-fusion desaturases from Anemone leveillei : the unexpected identification of a fatty acid delta6-desaturase. Planta. 217 (6), pp. 983-992. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1069-5

AuthorsWhitney, H. M., Michaelson, L. V., Sayanova, O. V., Pickett, J. A. and Napier, J. A.
Abstract

The Ranunculaceae are known to accumulate a wide range of unusual fatty acids in their seed lipids, and this variability has been advocated as a taxonomic marker. The Anemone species, Anemone leveillei L. and Anemone rivularis Buch.-Ham., have previously been reported to accumulate Delta5-desaturated fatty acids in their seed tissue [K. Aitzetmüller (1995) Plant Syst Evol 9:229-240]. Two cDNAs, AL1 and AL2, with similarity to plant cytochrome b5-fusion "front-end" desaturases were isolated from developing seeds of A. leveillei and their function identified by expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. AL2 was characterised as a sphingolipid long-chain-base Delta8-desaturase, while AL1 acted as a fatty acid desaturase. However, AL1 did not produce Delta5-desaturated fatty acids as expected; instead, when expressed in transgenic S. cerevisiae or Arabidopsis thaliana this enzyme was functionally characterised as a Delta6-desaturase. Northern analysis confirmed the expression of this gene in seed tissue and leaf tissue of A. leveillei, though Delta6-desaturated fatty acids were found to accumulate only in the leaf tissue. The unexpected characterisation of a Delta6-desaturase in A. leveillei has implications for the use of fatty acids in chemotaxonomic studies. This is also the first report of a higher-plant Delta6-desaturase from a family other than the Boraginaceae.

KeywordsAnemome; Chemotaxonomy; Cytochrome b5-fusion; "Front-end"-desaturase ; γ-Linolenic acid
Year of Publication2003
JournalPlanta
Journal citation217 (6), pp. 983-992
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1069-5
PubMed ID12898253
Open accessPublished as non-open access
FunderBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Funder project or code437
415
503
514
Isolation of DNAs for novel fatty acid desaturase enzymes and their use to manipulate fatty acid and triglycerol composition in transgenic plants
Project: 054189
Project: 054190
Project: 4156
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online24 Jul 2003
Publication process dates
Accepted13 May 2003
Copyright licensePublisher copyright
ISSN0032-0935
PublisherSpringer

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