Expression of a cyanobacterial {del}{sup 6}-desaturase gene results in {gamma}-linolenic acid production in transgenic plants
- Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a nutritionally important fatty acid in human and animal diets, is not produced in oil seed crops. Many oil seed plants, however, produce significant quantities of linoleic acid, a fatty acid that could be converted to GLA by the enzyme {del}{sup 6}-desaturase if it were present. As a first step to producing GLA in oil seed crops, we have cloned a cyanobacterial {del}{sup 6}-desaturase gene. Expression of this gene in transgenic tobacco resulted in GLA accumulation. Octadecatetraenoic acid, a highly unsaturated, industrially important fatty acid, was also found in transgenic tobacco plants expressing the cyanobacterial {del}{sup 6}-desaturase. This is the first example of engineering the production of `novel` polyunsaturated fatty acids in transgenic plants. 28 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
- OSTI ID:
- 577023
- Journal Information:
- Bio/Technology, Vol. 14, Issue 5; Other Information: PBD: May 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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