Plants as 'chemical factories' for the production of polyunsaturated fattyacids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are valuable products because of their involvement in several aspects of human health. Market demand for most PUFA s is growing continually and current sources are considered insufficient fo r satisfying this demand; alternative sources are actively sought after. Oi lseed plants can be a potential source of PUFAs if they are appropriately g ene engineered. Most of the basic tools for genetic engineering of oilseed plants for giving them the ability to produce PUFAs are already developed. Here we review the prospects of genetic engineering of oilseed plants for p roducing some valuable long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Genetic tran sformation for GLA production seems to be a near-term possibility, but gene engineering seems considerably more difficult far the other long-chain PUF As. Nevertheless, with the current rapid pace of biotechnological advanceme nt, the remaining difficulties may be surmounted in the near future. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.