scholarly journals Biosynthesis of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Marine Gammarids: Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterisation of Three Fatty Acyl Elongases

Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Alberto Ribes-Navarro ◽  
Juan C. Navarro ◽  
Francisco Hontoria ◽  
Naoki Kabeya ◽  
Inger B. Standal ◽  
...  

Long-chain (C20–24) polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are essential nutrients that are mostly produced in marine ecosystems. Previous studies suggested that gammarids have some capacity to endogenously produce LC-PUFAs. This study aimed to investigate the repertoire and functions of elongation of very long-chain fatty acid (Elovl) proteins in gammarids. Our results show that gammarids have, at least, three distinct elovl genes with putative roles in LC-PUFA biosynthesis. Phylogenetics allowed us to classify two elongases as Elovl4 and Elovl6, as they were bona fide orthologues of vertebrate Elovl4 and Elovl6. Moreover, a third elongase was named as “Elovl1/7-like” since it grouped closely to the Elovl1 and Elovl7 found in vertebrates. Molecular analysis of the deduced protein sequences indicated that the gammarid Elovl4 and Elovl1/7-like were indeed polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) elongases, whereas Elovl6 had molecular features typically found in non-PUFA elongases. This was partly confirmed in the functional assays performed on the marine gammarid Echinogammarus marinus Elovl, which showed that both Elovl4 and Elovl1/7-like elongated PUFA substrates ranging from C18 to C22. E. marinus Elovl6 was only able to elongate C18 PUFA substrates, suggesting that this enzyme does not play major roles in the LC-PUFA biosynthesis of gammarids.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yutaka Tashiro

Purpose This study aimed to analyze the lipid content and fatty acid composition in the liver and muscle of a porcupinefish species inhabiting waters around the Ryukyu Islands to investigate their potential as a source of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs). Design/methodology/approach Porcupinefish were collected along the Okinawa Island coast. The composition of fatty acids and cholesterol in both liver and muscle were analyzed using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer. Findings The liver of Okinawan long-spine porcupinefish was rich in lipids whose content correlated to the proportion of liver/body weight. Fatty acid compositions in their liver and muscles were similar to each other. LC-PUFAs occupied 44% of total fatty acids, with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) being the dominant (42%), whereas eicosapentaenoic acid occupied 2.4%. The liver contained 1,690 mg of cholesterol and 14.8 g of DHA per 100 g, whose proportion decreased in summer compared to other seasons (p = 0.036). Originality/value The liver of Okinawan long-spine porcupinefish, which has not yet been commercially used although its non-toxicity is claimed, can be an excellent source of LC-PUFAs, especially DHA, accentuating its potential in food supplements’ production.


1988 ◽  
Vol 253 (2) ◽  
pp. 417-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
C J Field ◽  
E A Ryan ◽  
A B Thomson ◽  
M T Clandinin

Control and diabetic rats were fed on semi-purified high-fat diets providing a polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio (P/S) of 1.0 or 0.25, to examine the effect of diet on the fatty acid composition of major phospholipids of the adipocyte plasma membrane. Feeding the high-P/S diet (P/S = 1.0) compared with the low-P/S diet (P/S = 0.25) increased the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in membrane phospholipids in both control and diabetic animals. The diabetic state decreased the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly arachidonic acid, in adipocyte membrane phospholipids. The decrease in arachidonic acid in membrane phospholipids of diabetic animals tended to be normalized to within the control values when high-P/S diets were given. For control animals, altered plasma-membrane composition was associated with change in insulin binding, suggesting that change in plasma-membrane composition may have physiological consequences for insulin-stimulated functions in the adipocyte.


2010 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 676-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard L. Bannenberg

The enzymatic oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids by lipoxygenases and cyclo-oxygenases is a resourceful mode of formation of specific autacoids that regulate the extent and pace of the inflammatory response. Arachidonate-derived eicosanoids, such as lipoxin A4, prostaglandin (PG)D2, PGF2α, PGE2, and PGD2-derived cyclopentenones exert specific roles in counter-regulating inflammation and turning on resolution. Recently recognized classes of autacoids derived from long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the E- and D-series resolvins, protectin D1, and maresin 1, act as specialized mediators to dampen inflammation actively, afford tissue protection, stimulate host defense, and activate resolution. It is held that counter-regulatory lipid mediators and the specific molecular pathways activated by such endogenous agonists may be suitable for pharmacological use in the treatment of inflammatory disease. The anti-inflammatory drug aspirin is a striking example of a drug that is able to act in such a manner, namely through triggering the formation of 15-epi-lipoxin A4and aspirin-triggered resolvins. Different aspects of the therapeutic applicability of lipid mediators have been addressed here, and indicate that the development of innovative pharmacotherapy based on anti-inflammatory and proresolution lipid mediators presents novel prospects for the treatment of inflammatory disease.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1681
Author(s):  
Xiaojing Dong ◽  
Jianqiao Wang ◽  
Peng Ji ◽  
Longsheng Sun ◽  
Shuyan Miao ◽  
...  

The fatty acid compositions of the fish muscle and liver are substantially affected by rearing environment. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect have not been thoroughly described. In this study, we investigated the effects of different culture patterns, i.e., marine cage culture and freshwater pond culture, on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis in an aquaculturally important fish, the Japanese sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus). Fish were obtained from two commercial farms in the Guangdong province, one of which raises Japanese sea bass in freshwater, while the other cultures sea bass in marine cages. Fish were fed the same commercial diet. We found that omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) levels in the livers and muscles of the marine cage cultured fish were significantly higher than those in the livers and muscles of the freshwater pond cultured fish. Quantitative real-time PCRs indicated that fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) transcript abundance was significantly lower in the livers of the marine cage reared fish as compared to the freshwater pond reared fish, but that fatty acid elongase 5 (Elovl5) transcript abundance was significantly higher. Consistent with this, two of the 28 CpG loci in the FADS2 promoter region were heavily methylated in the marine cage cultured fish, but were only slightly methylated in freshwater pond cultured fish (n = 5 per group). Although the Elovl5 promoter was less methylated in the marine cage reared fish as compared to the freshwater pond reared fish, this difference was not significant. Thus, our results might indicate that Elovl5, not FADS2, plays an important role in the enhancing LC-PUFA synthesis in marine cage cultures.


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