MODULATION OF LIPID UNSATURATION AND MEMBRANE FLUID STATE IN MAMMALIAN-CELLS BY STABLE TRANSFORMATION WITH THE DELTA(9)-DESATURASE GENE OF SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

The composition and physical state of membrane lipids determine the dy namic nature of membranes, which in turn, could directly be linked to the activity of various membrane-associated cellular functions. To bet ter understand the molecular basis of different membrane-related pheno mena we established a novel strategy to alter unsaturation of mammalia n cell membranes with an identical genetic background. We transfected L929 mouse fibroblastoid cells with DNA constructs containing the Delt a(9)-fatty acid desaturase gene (Ole1) of S. cerevisiae under the cont rol of desaturase promoters derived either from wild type or mutant st rains of the dimorphic fungus H. capsulatum. (C) 1997 Academic Press.