Linked Life Data

21316718

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/21316718

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
7
pubmed:dateCreated
2011-4-4
pubmed:abstractText
The Prymnesiophyceae coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi is one of the most abundant alga in our oceans and therefore plays a central role in marine foodwebs. E. huxleyi is notable for the synthesis and accumulation of the omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6?(4,7,10,13,16,19), n-3) which is accumulated in fish oils and known to have health-beneficial properties to humans, preventing cardiovascular disease and related pathologies. Here we describe the identification and functional characterisation of the five E. huxleyi genes which direct the synthesis of docosahexaenoic acid in this alga. Surprisingly, E. huxleyi does not use the conventional ?6-pathway, instead using the alternative ?8-desaturation route which has previously only been observed in a few unrelated microorganisms. Given that E. huxleyi accumulates significant levels of the ?6-desaturated fatty acid stearidonic acid (18:4?(6,9,12,15), n-3), we infer that the biosynthesis of DHA is likely to be metabolically compartmentalised from the synthesis of stearidonic acid.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
May
pubmed:issn
1873-3700
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
72
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
594-600
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2011
pubmed:articleTitle
Identification and functional characterisation of genes encoding the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathway from the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Biological Chemistry, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ, UK.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't