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Identification and characterization of two fatty acid elongases in Lipomyces starkeyi

  • Biotechnologically relevant enzymes and proteins
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Abstract

The oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi is a potential cost-effective source for the production of microbial lipids. Fatty acid elongases have vital roles in the syntheses of long-chain fatty acids. In this study, two genes encoding fatty acid elongases of L. starkeyi, LsELO1, and LsELO2 were identified and characterized. Heterologous expression of these genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that LsElo1 is involved in the production of saturated long-chain fatty acids with 24 carbon atoms (C24:0) and that LsElo2 is involved in the conversion of C16 fatty acids to C18 fatty acids. In addition, both LsElo1 and LsElo2 were able to elongate polyunsaturated fatty acids. LsElo1 elongated linoleic acid (C18:2) to eicosadienoic acid (C20:2), and LsElo2 elongated α-linolenic acid (C18:3) to eicosatrienoic acid (C20:3). Overexpression of LsElo2 in L. starkeyi caused a reduction in C16 fatty acids, such as palmitic and palmitoleic acids, and an accumulation of C18 fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic acids. Our findings have the potential to contribute to the remodeling of fatty acid composition and the production of polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acids in oleaginous yeasts.

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Funding

This study was supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8566, Japan

    Tomohiko Matsuzawa, Yasushi Kamisaka, Tomoko Maehara & Katsuro Yaoi

  2. Department of Applied Life Science, Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Science, 265-1 Higashijima, Akiha-ku, Niigata, 956-8603, Japan

    Hiroaki Takaku

Authors
  1. Tomohiko Matsuzawa
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  2. Yasushi Kamisaka
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  3. Tomoko Maehara
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  4. Hiroaki Takaku
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  5. Katsuro Yaoi
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Correspondence to Katsuro Yaoi.

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Matsuzawa, T., Kamisaka, Y., Maehara, T. et al. Identification and characterization of two fatty acid elongases in Lipomyces starkeyi. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 104, 2537–2544 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-020-10401-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-020-10401-9

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