• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2018

Among the carotenoid biosynthesis genes, crtI gene encodes the phytoene desaturase (CrtI) enzyme, and phytoene desaturase convert phytoene to lycopene. Phytoene desaturase is involved in the dehydrogenation reaction, in which four single bonds in the phytoene are introduced into a double bond, eliminating eight hydrogen atoms in the process. Phytoene desaturase is one of the key regulating enzyme in carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of various carotenoid biosynthetic organisms. The crtI gene in genomic DNA of Paracoccus haeundaensis was amplified and cloned into a T-vector to analyze the nucleotide sequence. As a result, the crtI gene coding for phytoene desaturase from P. haeundaensis consists of 1,503 base pairs encoding 501 amino acids residues. An expression plasmid containing the crtI gene was constructed, and Escherichia coli cells containing this plasmid produced the recombinant protein of approximately 55 kDa, equivalent to the molecular weight of phytoene desaturase. The expressed protein in cell lysate showed enzymatic activity similar to phytoene desaturase. Phytoene and lycopene were analyzed by HPLC and measured at wavelength of 280 nm and 470 nm, respectively. The $K_m$ values for phytoene and NADPH were $11.1{\mu}M$ and $129.3{\mu}M$, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.116-121
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• 2010

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) promote the development of brain and vision of the fetus, relieve inflammation, inhibit oral dysplasia of rumor cell, decrease the incidence of cardiovascular disease and regulate arrhythmia. ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase is the rate-limited enzyme in the desaturation process. This study reports the cloning, characterization and tissue expression of a ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase gene in the chicken. PCR primers were designed based on the predicted sequence of chicken ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase (accession number: XM421053) and used to isolate a cDNA fragment of 1,323 bp from chicken liver. Based on the 1,323 bp fragment an EST (BI390105) was obtained by BLAST. The EST and 5'nd of the 1,323 bp fragment were partially overlapped. Gene specific primers derived from the EST were used for amplification of the 5'nd. Another gene-specific primer derived from the 1,323 bp fragment was used for amplification of the 3'nd by 3'ACE. Then the three overlapping cDNA sequences obtained were assembled with DNAMAN software and a full-length ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase of 2,153 bp was obtained. The full-length cDNA contained an ORF of 1,335 bp with a 5'ntranslated region of 147 nucleotides followed by an ATG initiation codon. Stop codon TGA was at position 1,481-1,483 bp. The deduced amino acids shared an homology above 77% with bovine, mice, orangutan, rat and human. The protein sequence had three histidine-rich regions HDFGH (HisI region), HFQHH (HisII region) and HH (HisIII region), a cytochrome $b_{5}$-like domain containing a heme-binding motif and two transmembrane domains. Sequence analysis of the chicken genomic DNA revealed that the coding sequence of chicken ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase included 12 exons and 11 introns. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that the ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase expression levels were in turn liver, spleen, pancreas, lung, breast muscle, heart, and abdominal fat. The expression of ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase in liver was significantly higher than that in breast muscle (p<0.01). The expression of ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase in lung was significantly higher than that in abdominal fat (p<0.01). This is the first clone of chicken ${\Delta}-6$ desaturase.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2001

An ${\omega}-3$ fatty acid desaturase gene which is involved in de novo synthesis of -Iinolenate was isolated from cDNA library of Perilla frutescens. A cDNA library was constructed with mRNA extracted from perilla seeds of 12 DAF. The cDNA clone consisting of 1317-bp open reading frame encoding 438 amino acids with a relative MW of 50kDa, was isolated and showed 65-83% similarities to other known genes. This cDNA is deduced to encode a plastidal ${\omega}-3$ fatty acid desaturase based on the fact that it has higher homology to plastidal ones than to microsomal ones and its N-terminal sequence shares several characteristics of transit peptides of chloroplast proteins. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA indicated that more than one gene or alleles for ${\omega}-3$ fatty acid desaturase are present in the genome of perilla. Northern blot analysis showed that the ${\omega}-3$ fatty acid desaturase gene is mainly revealed in early developing seeds and has different expression patterns depending on tissue types compared to the microsomal ones.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2007

This study investigated the effects of conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) on the fat deposition, triglyceride levels and the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1(SCD1) in the livers of male ICR mice that were fed with either soybean oil or beef tallow supplemented with CLA. Mice weighing $25{\sim}30$ g were divided into four groups; soybean oil(SBO), and SBO supplemented with 1% CLA(SBOC), beef tallow(BT) and BT supplemented with 1% CLA(BTC). Each group consisted of 10 mice that were fed the experimental diets for 4 weeks. The experimental diets consisted of 64% carbohydrate, 20% protein, and 16% fat in terms of their contributions to total calories. All other nutrients were identical in the diets. Triglyceride measurements were completed using a kit. Fatty acid compositions were analyzed in the liver using gas chromatography. The levels of SCD1 expression were analyzed by RT-PCR in the liver. No significant differences were found for food intake level, body weight and food efficiency among the experimental groups. However, the weights of epididymal fat pads and plasma triglyceride levels were significantly lower in SBOC and BTC(p<0.05) compared to the SBO and BT groups. These effects were similar in the CLA supplemented groups. The expression level of SCD1 gene and ${\Delta}9$ desaturase index were not significantly different, regardless of the fat used for CLA supplementation. Based on these results, addition of CLA showed decreasing effects on the fat depots weight and the concentration of triglyceride regardless of the fat sources. The SCD1 gene expression and ${\Delta}9$ desaturase index were not influenced by the types of fats with respect to the CLA effects.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.557-560
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• 2011

It has been known that Δ-desaturase (TAD5) in the biosynthetic pathway of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids of Thraustochytrium aureumis responsible for the conversion of di-homo-${\gamma}$-linolenic acid (C20：4) into arachidonic acid (C20：4). The genetic sequence analysis on TAD5 of Thraustochytrium aureum ATCC34304 used in this study showed that it has two amino acid changes when compared to that of Thraustochytrium aureum TAD5 first reported in 2003. Accordingly, Thraustochytrium aureum ATCC34304 TAD5 was named TAD5_1. TAD5_1-inserted methylotropic Pichia pastoris was prepared and then cultured with a precursor fatty acid, di-homo-${\gamma}$-linolenic acid. GC analysis confirmed that a certain amount of the precursor fatty acid was converted into arachidonic acid. In this study, not only a recombinant Pichia pastoris with the typical activity of ${\Delta}5$-desaturase which plays an essential role in the biosynthesis of LCPUFAs was successfully made but also the preparationpotential of a recombinant Pichia pastoris strain which may synthesize eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that are important in maintaining and improving human's brain function was proposed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.442-450
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• 1997

Conjugated dienoic derivatives of linoleic acid(CLA) are a mixture of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid(LA). We previously found that CLA changes the fatty acid profile in chicken eggs and serum by decreasing monounsaturated fatty acids. Studies were conducted to explore the effects of CLA on fatty acid composition. Rabbits were fed a semisynthetic diet with or without CLA(0.5g CLA/rabbit/day) for 22 weeks. Compared to the control, rabbits fed CLA had significantly lower monounsaturated fatty acid levels(palmitoleic acid Cl6 : 1 by 50% and oleic acid Cl8 : 1, by 20%) in plasma lipids. We found similar differences in fatty acid composition in the liver and the aorta. The inhibitory effect of CLA on $\Delta$9 desaturation was confirmed in a human hepatoma cell line, Hep G2. CLA significantly decreased $\Delta$9 desaturation in 4-5 hours as shown by an increase in the ratio of Cl6 : 0 to C 16 1, This is apparently due to a decrease in $\Delta$9 desaturase(stearoyl-CoA desaturase, SCD) activity ; it was decreased more than 50%. These results, along with our previous findings, indicate that CLA is an inhibitor of $\Delta$9 desaturase in the liver.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.226-235
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• 2017

Carotenoids such as phytoene, lycopene, and ${\beta}-carotene$ are used as food colorants, animal feed supplements, and for human nutrition and cosmetic purposes. Previously, we reported the isolation of a novel marine bacterium, Kocuria gwangalliensis, which produces a pink-orange pigment. Phytoene desaturase (CrtI), encoded by the gene crtI, catalyzes lycopene formation from phytoene and is an essential enzyme in the early steps of carotenoid biosynthesis. CrtI is one of the key enzymes regulating carotenoid biosynthesis and has been implicated as a rate-limiting enzyme of the pathway in various carotenoid synthesizing organisms. Here, we report the cloning of the crtI gene responsible for lycopene biosynthesis from K. gwangalliensis. The gene consisted of 1,584 bases encoding 527 amino acid residues. The nucleotide sequence of the crtI gene was compared with that of other species, including Kocuria rhizophila and Myxococcus xanthus, and was found to be well conserved during evolution. An expression plasmid containing the crtI gene was constructed (pCcrt1), and Escherichia coli cells were transformed with this plasmid to produce a recombinant protein of approximately 57 kDa, corresponding to the molecular weight of phytoene desaturase. Lycopene biosynthesis was confirmed when the plasmid pCcrtI was co-transformed into E. coli containing the plasmid pRScrtEB carrying the crtE and crtB genes required for lycopene biosynthesis. The results from this study will provide valuable information on the primary structure of K. gwangalliensis CrtI at the molecular level.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.424-427
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• 2004

Microsomal ${\omega}-3$ fatty acid desaturase (FAD3) is an essential enzyme in the production of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ${\alpha}-linolenic$ acid during the seed developing stage. To understand the regulatory mechanism of the gene encoding the ${\omega}-3$ fatty acid desaturase, a genomic fragment corresponding to the previously isolated perilla seed PfFAD3 cDNA was amplified from perilla (Perilla frutescens Britt) by GenomeWalker PCR. Sequence analysis of the fragment provided with identification of a 1485-bp 5'-upstream region and a 241-bp intron in the open reading frame. To determine the tissue-specificity of the PfFAD3 gene expression, the 5'-upstream region was fused to the ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ (GUS) gene and incorporated into Arabidopsis thaliana. Histochemical assay of the transgenic plants showed that GUS expression was restricted to seed and pollen, showing that PfFAD3 gene was exclusively expressed in those tissues.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.113-118
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• 1999

The transgenic plant of Citrus species (Citrus aurantium L.) was constructed with a fatty acid desaturase gene using microprojectile bombardment transformation system. The DNA of a fatty acid desaturase gene, fad7, constructed in pBI121 was coated onto tungsten particles ($1.1{\mu}m$) and introduced into callus cells by bombarding with 1100 psi of helium pressure, 1/4 in of gap distance, 7.0 cm of target distance and 27 in Hg of chamber vacuum. The bombarded cells were selected on the medium containing kanamycin. The selected cells were successfully regenerated into plantlets via somatic embryogenesis on the media containing plant growth regulators. The results of polymerase chain reaction analysis of genomic DNAs from the putative transformants showed that the introduced DNAs of fad7 were present in both the selected callus cells and the regenerated plantlets.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 1997

For the molecular genetic study of cold tolerance mechanism in plants, a cDNA encoding fatty acid desaturase (fad3), converting linoleic acid (18:2, $\omega$-6) to linolenic acid (18:3, $\omega$-3), was isolated from $\lambda$ZAPII Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA expression library by plaque hybridization using fad3 cDNA probe derived from Brassica napus. A 1.8 kb-EcoRI fragment from a lambda clone showing a strong positive hybridization signal was subcloned into pGEM7 and analyzed for its nucleotide sequence. From deduced amino acid sequences, the fad3 gene was revealed to have an open reading frame(ORF) consisting of 386 amino acids with a molecular mass of 44,075 Da. The fad3 gene was compared to chloroplast $\omega$-3 fatty acid desaturase (fad7) and endoplasmic reticulum Δ12 fatty acid desaturase (fad2) to show 70% and 58% amino acid sequence homology, respectively, Especially, amino acids of internal (82 to 151) and carboxy terminal (276 to 333) regions were highly conserved, implying their requisite role for enzymatic functioning of fatty acid desaturases. IPTG-induced fad3 cDNA expression in E. coli cells was suggested to be toxic to bacterial growth.