METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MULTIPLE-UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN TRANSGENIC ORGANISMS

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids in an organism by introducing, into the organism, nucleic acids which encode polypeptides with Δ5-elongase activity. Advantageously, these nucleic acids can be expressed in the organism together with further nucleic acids which encode polypeptides of the biosynthesis of the fatty acid or lipid metabolism. Especially advantageous are nucleic acids which encode Δ6-desaturases, Δ5-desaturases, Δ4-desaturases and/or Δ6-elongases. These desaturases and elongases are advantageously derived from Thalassiosira, Euglena or Ostreococcus. The invention furthermore relates to a process for the production of oils and/or triacylglycerides with an elevated content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and oils and/or triacylglycerides thus obtained. The invention also relates to the nucleic acids, and constructs, vectors and transgenic organisms comprising the same, as well as oils, lipids and/or fatty acids produced by the process according to the invention and to their use.

主权项

1. A process for the production of a transgenic organism having a content of at least 1% by weight of docosahexaenoic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid based on the total lipid content of the transgenic organism, said process comprises:
a) introducing, into the organism, at least one nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with Δ6-desaturase activity; b) introducing, into the organism, at least one nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with Δ6-elongase activity; c) introducing, into the organism, at least one nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with Δ5-desaturase activity; d) introducing, into the organism, at least one nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with Δ5-elongase activity; and e) introducing, into the organism, at least one nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with Δ4-desaturase activity, wherein the at least one nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with Δ6-desaturase activity comprises: i) the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17, SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 23, SEQ ID NO: 25, SEQ ID NO: 71, SEQ ID NO: 73, SEQ ID NO: 89 or SEQ ID NO: 97; ii) a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 22, SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 72, SEQ ID NO: 74, SEQ ID NO: 90 or SEQ ID NO: 98; or iii) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 22, SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 72, SEQ ID NO: 74, SEQ ID NO: 90 or SEQ ID NO: 98.