Genes for microsomal delta-12 fatty acid desaturases and hydroxylases from plants

An isolated nucleic acid fragment comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a plant enzyme selected from the group consisting of a delta-12 desaturase and a delta-12 hydroxylase wherein said isolated nucleic acid fragment hybridizes to one of the nucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOS:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 15 under one of the following sets of conditions:

• (a) hybridization in 50 mM Tris, pH 7.6, 6×SSC, 5×Denhardt's, 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 100 μg denatured calf thymus DNA at 50° C. and wash twice with 2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at room temperature for 15 min each, then wash twice with 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at room temperature for 15 min each and then wash twice with 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at 50° C. for 15 min each;
• (b) hybridization in 6×SSPE, 5×Denhardt's solution, 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 5% dextran sulfate, 100 μg denatured calf thymus DNA at 50° C. and wash twice with 2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at room temperature for 15 min each, then wash twice with 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at room temperature for 15 min each and then wash twice with 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at 50° C. for 15 min each;
• or
• (c) hybridization in 50% formamide, 5×SSPE, 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 1% Denhardt's Reagent, 100 μg denatured salmon sperm DNA at 42° C. and wash twice with 2×SSPE, 0.2% SDS at 42° C. for 15 min each, then wash twice with 0.2×SSPE, 0.2% SDS at 55° C. for 30 min each.