MUTANT DELTA5 DESATURASES AND THEIR USE IN MAKING POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

摘要

The present invention relates to mutant &Dgr;5 desaturases, which have the ability to convert dihomo-γ-linolenic acid [DGLA; 20:3 ω-6] to arachidonic acid [ARA; 20:4 ω-6] and/or eicosatetraenoic acid [ETA; 20:4 ω-3] to eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA; 20:5 ω-3] and which possess at least one mutation within the HPGG motif of the cytochrome b5-like domain. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding &Dgr;5 desaturases, along with a method of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”] using these mutant &Dgr;5 desaturases in oleaginous yeast, are disclosed.