Methods and compositions for synthesis of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in plants

A method for producing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof with an altered fatty acid profile comprising:

• growing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid with at least 95% homology to the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1, said nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals function in said cells, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile thereof.

A method for producing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof with an altered fatty acid profile comprising:

• growing a plant comprising a tissue and/or plant thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals functional in said cells, wherein said nucleic acid encodes a deletion mutant of the polypeptide depicted in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile thereof.

A method for producing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof with an altered fatty acid profile comprising:

• growing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile thereof.

A method for producing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof with an altered fatty acid profile comprising:

• growing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a polypeptide with at least 95% homology to the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said polypeptide forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile thereof.

A method for producing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof with an altered fatty acid profile comprising:

• growing a plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid that hybridizes preferentially to a complement of the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1 under hybridization conditions suitable for selectively screening a recombinant DNA library using a probe comprising said complement, said recombinant DNA library comprising sequences obtained from a Mortierella species, said nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals functional in said cells, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile thereof.

A method for producing oil with an altered fatty acid profile comprising extracting said oil with an altered fatty acid profile from at least a plant tissue and/or part produced by growing a plant comprising the tissue and/or part, said tissue and/or part comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid comprising the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1, said nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals functional in said cells, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of said oil, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A method for producing oil with an altered fatty acid profile comprising extracting said oil from at least a plant tissue and/or part produced by growing a plant comprising the tissue and/or part, said tissue and/or part comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid with at least 95% homology to the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1, said nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals function in said cells, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of said oil, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A method for producing oil with an altered fatty acid profile comprising extracting said oil with an altered fatty acid profile from at least a plant tissue and/or part produced by growing a plant comprising the tissue and/or part, said tissue and/or part comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of said oil, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A method for producing oil with an altered fatty acid profile comprising extracting said oil with an altered fatty acid profile from at least a plant tissue and/or part produced by growing a plant comprising the tissue and/or part, said tissue and/or part comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a polypeptide with at least 95% homology to the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:2, said polypeptide forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of said oil, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid comprising the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1, said nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals functional in said cells, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of said oil, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid with at least 95% homology to the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1, said nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals functional in said tissue and/or part, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of an oil of said tissue and/or part, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of said oil, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A plant comprising a tissue and/or part thereof comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a polypeptide with at least 95% homology to the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said polypeptide forms a monounsaturated bond between carbons 6 and 7 of a fatty acid as numbered from a carboxy terminus thereof, wherein said polypeptide is expressed in sufficient amount in said tissue and/or part to alter the fatty acid profile of an oil of said tissue and/or part, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.

A method for producing oil with an increased amount of a polyunsaturated fatty acid and/or a conjugated form thereof, comprising extracting said oil from at least a plant tissue and/or part produced by growing a plant comprising the tissue and/or part, said tissue and/or part comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality comprising a nucleic acid comprising the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1, said nucleic acid operably linked to transcription and translation control signals functional in said cells, wherein a polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid is expressed in said tissue and/or part and is used to produce said increased amount of the polyunsaturated fatty acid and/or conjugated form of said oil, wherein the fatty acid profile is altered as compared to that of oil extracted from a parental strain of said plant not expressing said polypeptide.