Ja. Napier et al., IDENTIFICATION OF A CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS DELTA(6)-FATTY-ACID-DESATURASE BY HETEROLOGOUS EXPRESSION IN SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE, Biochemical journal, 330, 1998, pp. 611-614
We identified a cDNA expressed sequence tag from an animal (the nemato
de worm Caenorhabditis elegans) that showed weak similarity to a highe
r-plant microsomal Delta(6)-desaturase. A full-length cDNA clone was i
solated and expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This demo
nstrated that the protein encoded by the C. elegans cDNA was that of a
fatty acid Delta(6)-desaturase, as determined by the accumulation of
gamma-linolenic acid. The C. elegans Delta(6)-desaturase contained an
N-terminal cytochrome b(5) domain, indicating that it had a similar st
ructure to that of the higher-plant Delta(6)-desaturase. The C. elegan
s Delta(6)-desaturase mapped to cosmid W08D2, a region of chromosome I
II. This is the first example of a Delta(6)-desaturase isolated from a
n animal and also the first example of an animal desaturase containing
a cytochrome b(5) domain.