Mutant Δ8 desaturase genes engineered by targeted mutagenesis and their use in making polyunsaturated fatty acids

US7709239B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY · US

Inventors

• Howard Glenn Damude
• Hongxian He · Wilmington, US
• Der-Ing Liao · Wilmington, US
• Quinn Qun Zhu · West Chester, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 7, 2006
• Grant date: May 4, 2010
• Expiry date: Jul 15, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N9/0083
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to mutant Δ8 desaturase genes, which have the ability to convert eicosadienoic acid [20:2 ω-6, EDA] to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid [20:3, DGLA] and/or eicosatrienoic acid [20:3 ω-3, ETrA] to eicosatetraenoic acid [20:3 ω-3, ETA]. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding Δ8 desaturase along with methods of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these mutant Δ8 desaturases in plants and oleaginous yeast are disclosed.