Work

Fatty Acid Desaturases, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Regulation, and Biotechnological Advances

Year: 2016

Type: review

Abstract: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are considered to be critical nutrients to regulate human health and development, and numerous fatty acid desaturases play key roles in synthesizing PUFAs. Given the lack of delta-12 and -15 desaturases and the low levels of conversion to PUFAs, humans must consume some omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in their diet. Many studies on fatty acid desaturases as well as PUFAs have shown that fatty acid desaturase genes are closely related to different human physiological conditions. Since the first front-end desaturases from cyanobacteria were cloned, numerous desaturase genes have been identified and animals and plants have been genetically engineered to produce PUFAs such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Recently, a biotechnological approach has been used to develop clinical treatments for human physiological conditions, including cancers and neurogenetic disorders. Thus, understanding the functions and regulation of PUFAs associated with human health and development by using biotechnology may facilitate the engineering of more advanced PUFA production and provide new insights into the complexity of fatty acid metabolism.

Source: Nutrients

DOI: 10.3390/nu8010023

Authors: Je Lee, Hyungjae Lee, SeokBeom Kang, Woo Park

Institutions: Kyungpook National University, Dankook University, Rural Development Administration, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Gangneung–Wonju National University

Language: English

Topic: Fatty Acid Research and Health

Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics

Field: Nursing

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,499