SYNTHESIS OF POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN YEAST

摘要

Described is a method of providing an organism belonging to the genus Saccharomyces, which is capable of producing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) comprising the steps of subjecting such an organism, which does not produce PUFAs, to a mutagenesis step and selecting a Saccharomyces organism, which is capable of accumulating at least 15% of the cellular dry weight as lipids; and genetically modifying the Saccharomyces organism selected in step (a) so that it is capable of synthesizing PUFAs, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid and/or docosahexaenoic acid. Also described are organisms obtained by such a method, as well as a method for the synthesis of PUFAs, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid and/or docosahexaenoic acid comprising culturing such an organism.