Methods of increasing triacylglycerol content in oleaginous yeasts via expression of acyltransferases
AssigneeE.I. duPont de Nemours and Company
InventorsNarendra S. Yadav, Hongxiang Zhang
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Abstract
Two acyltransferases are provided, suitable for use in the manufacture of microbial oils enriched in omega fatty acids in oleaginous yeast (e.g., Yarrowia lipolytica). Specifically, the genes encoding phophatidylcholine-diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT2) have been isolated from Y. lipolytica. These genes encode enzymes that participate in the terminal step in oil biosynthesis in yeast. Each is expected to play a key role in altering the quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids produced in oils of oleaginous yeasts.
Claims6
A method of increasing triacylglycerol content in a transformed host cell comprising:
- (a) providing a transformed host cell comprising:
- (i) at least one gene encoding an acyltransferase enzyme having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
- 31 under the control of suitable regulatory sequences;
- and
- (ii) a source of fatty acids;
- (b) growing the cell of step (a) under conditions whereby the at least one gene encoding an acyltransferase enzyme is expressed, resulting in the transfer of the fatty acids to diacylglycerol;
- and
- (c) optionally recovering the diacylglycerol of step (b).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.