Abstract
BackgroundPolyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) are abundant in vegetable oils and are important for human health. In the body, LA and ALA are respectively converted to the omega-6 fatty acid γ-linolenic acid (GLA) and the omega-3 fatty acid stearidonic acid (SDA) by Δ6 desaturase (D6DES). Currently, dietary GLA and SDA are mainly obtained from marine organisms, but given their benefits to human health, many studies have aimed to enhance their accumulation in transgenic crops. Perilla frutescens (perilla) accumulates more ALA in its seed oil compared to other oilseed crops, making it a good candidate for the production of fatty acids via the fatty acid desaturase D6DES.ResultsIn this study, we cloned the D6DES gene from Phytophthora citrophthora and confirmed its function in budding yeast. We then transformed the functional D6DES gene under the control of the seed-specific vicilin promoter into the perilla cultivar Yeobsil. The resulting transgenic perilla seeds accumulated significant levels of GLA and SDA, as well as putative C18:2Δ6,9 at minor levels. Developing seeds and leaves also accumulated GLA and SDA, although PcD6DES expression and GLA and SDA levels were much lower in leaves compared to developing seeds. GLA and SDA accumulated in both polar lipids and neutral lipids in mature perilla seeds expressing PcD6DES, especially in neutral lipids. Although the seed weight in PcD6DES perilla was 87–96% that of wild type, the total oil content per seed weight was similar between lines. The PcD6DES perilla plants contained very high content (over 45%) of both GLA and SDA in seed oil.ConclusionsThus, PcD6DES perilla plants may represent a feasible alternative to traditional marine sources for the production of omega-3 oil capsules and to evening primrose seed oil for GLA as health food. In addition, these plants can be used to create other transgenic lines harboring additional genes to produce other desirable fish-oil like oils.
Highlights
Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) are abundant in vegetable oils and are important for human health
We further revealed that transgenic perilla seeds expressing PcD6DES produced very high levels of γ-linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA), with each accounting for over 20% of the seed oil content
We developed transgenic perilla with the very high content over 45% of both GLA and SDA
Summary
Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) are abundant in vegetable oils and are important for human health. Along with high proportions of other fatty acids from plants, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as cis-9,12-octadecadienoic acid (linoleic acid; LA) and cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid (α-linolenic acid; ALA) are essential to human health. These PUFAs are used to produce cis-6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid (γ-linolenic acid; GLA) and. [9], hemp (Cannabis sativa) [10] and Boraginaceae plants [11], including borage (Borago officinalis). These wild plants do not produce large amounts of oil, and they produce only low levels of GLA and SDA. GLA- and SDA-containing health foods are rather expensive
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