PEROXISOME BIOGENESIS FACTOR PROTEIN (PEX) DISRUPTIONS FOR ALTERING POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS AND TOTAL LIPID CONTENT IN OLEAGINOUS EUKARYOTIC ORGANISMS

摘要

Methods of increasing the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotes, accomplished by modifying the activity of peroxisome biogenesis factor (Pex) proteins. Disruptions of a chromosomal Pex3 gene, Pex10p gene or Pex16p gene in a PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotic strain resulted in an increased amount of PUFAs, as a percent of total fatty acids and as a percent of dry cell weight, in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of the strain, as compared to the parental strain whose native Pex protein was not disrupted.

主权项

1. A method of increasing the weight percent of at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid relative to the weight percent of total fatty acids in an oleaginous eukaryotic organism having a total lipid content, a total lipid fraction and an oil fraction, comprising:
a) providing an oleaginous eukaryotic organism comprising:
1) genes encoding a functional polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathway; and2) a disruption in a native gene encoding a peroxisome biogenesis factor protein, thereby providing a PEX-disrupted organism, and b) growing the PEX-disrupted organism under conditions as to increase the weight percent of at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid relative to the weight percent of total fatty acids in the total lipid fraction or in the oil fraction, when compared to the weight percent of the at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid relative to the weight percent of total fatty acids in the total lipid fraction or in the oil fraction in the oleaginous eukaryotic organism in which no native gene encoding a peroxisome biogenesis factor protein has been disrupted.