Accumulation of Delta6-unsaturated fatty acids in transgenic tobacco plants expressing a Delta6-desaturase from Borago officinalis

Histidine-41 of the cytochrome b5 domain of the borage delta6 fatty acid desaturase is essential for enzyme activity.

Unlike most other plant microsomal desaturases, the Delta6-fatty acid desaturase from borage (Borago officinalis) contains an N-terminal extension that shows homology to the small hemoprotein cytochrome (Cyt) b5. To determine if this domain serves as a functional electron donor for the Delta6-fatty acid desaturase, mutagenesis and functional analysis by expression in transgenic Arabidopsis was ...

Characterization and comparison of fatty acyl Delta6 desaturase cDNAs from freshwater and marine teleost fish species.

Fish are the most important dietary source of the n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that have particularly important roles in human nutrition reflecting their roles in critical physiological processes. The objective of the study described here was to clone, functionally characterize and compare expressed fatty acid desaturase genes...

Differential effects of antipsychotic medications on polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in rats: Relationship with liver delta6-desaturase expression.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), a lipid family comprised of omega-3 (n-3) and n-6 fatty acids, are a critical component of cellular membranes, and recent in vitro studies have found that antipsychotic medications up-regulate genes responsible for PUFA biosynthesis. To evaluate this effect in vivo, rats were treated with risperidone (1.5, 3, 6mg/kg/day), paliperidone (1.5, 3, 6mg/kg/day), ol...

Assessment of salt tolerance in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) plants expressing the AUX gene

Transformation of plants using Agrabacterium rhizogenes may affect secondary metabolite production as well as morphological changes. In this study, T-DNA from Ri plasmid in A. rhizogenes carrying pRi15834-PRT35S-GUS was introduced into tobacco leaf segments to initiate development of transformed hairy roots. Plant regeneration from transgenic roots used MS medium, and plants regenerated fro...

In Vivo Metabolism of Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Sepia Officinalis