Structure and regulation of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase genes from the deep-sea bacterium strain SS9

The GenBank accession numbers for the sequences reported in this paper are AF409100 and AF467805.

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Abstract

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5-3; EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6-3; DHA) have been shown to be of major importance in the promotion of cardiovascular health, proper human development and the prevention of some cancers. A high proportion of bacterial isolates from low-temperature and high-pressure marine environments produce EPA or DHA. This paper presents the sequence of a 33 kbp locus from the deep-sea bacterium strain SS9 which includes four of the five genes required for EPA biosynthesis. As with other bacterial (olyunsaturated atty cid) genes, the deduced amino acid sequences encoded by the SS9 genes reveal large multidomain proteins that are likely to catalyse EPA biosynthesis by a novel polyketide synthesis mechanism. RNase protection experiments separated the SS9 genes into two transcriptional units, and . The transcriptional start site was identified. Cultivation at elevated hydrostatic pressure or reduced temperature did not increase gene expression despite the resulting increase in percentage composition of EPA under these conditions. However, a regulatory mutant was characterized which showed both increased expression of and elevated EPA percentage composition. This result suggests that a regulatory factor exists which coordinates transcription. Additional consideration regarding the activities required for PUFA synthesis is provided together with comparative analyses of bacterial genes and gene products.

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2002-06-01
2024-03-28
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