# US 8,785,727 B2 · Desaturase and method for the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids in transgenic organisms > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,727 B2 - Document ID: US8785727B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/990,492 - Filed: 2009-04-29 - Published: 2011-06-09 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-30 - Assignees: Rothamsted Research Limited - Applicants: Joerg Bauer; Johnathan A. Napier; Olga Sayanova - Inventors: Joerg Bauer; Johnathan A. Napier; Olga Sayanova - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785727B2 ## CPC - C12N 15/8247: {involving modified lipid metabolism, e.g. seed oil composition} - C12N 9/0083: {Miscellaneous (1.14.99)} - C12P 7/6432: Eicosapentaenoic acids [EPA] - C12P 7/6434: Docosahexenoic acids [DHA] - C12P 7/6436: Fatty acid esters - C12P 7/6472: containing polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] residues, i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} ## Abstract The present invention relates to a polynucleotide from Emiliana huxleyi which codes for a desaturase and which can be employed for the recombinant production of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The invention furthermore relates to vectors, host cells and transgenic nonhuman organisms which comprise the polynucleotide according to the invention, and to the polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotide. The invention furthermore relates to antibodies against the polypeptide according to the invention. Finally, the invention also relates to production methods for the polyunsaturated fatty acids and for oil, lipid and fatty acid compositions and to their use as drugs, cosmetics, foodstuffs, feedstuffs, preferably fish food, or food supplements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vector comprising a polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) a nucleic acid sequence that has at least 95% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and (b) a nucleic acid sequence which codes for a polypeptide having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; wherein the nucleic acid sequences of (a) and (b) code for a polypeptide with desaturase activity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vector according to claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide consists of RNA or DNA. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vector according to claim 1, wherein the vector is an expression vector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vector according to claim 1, wherein the vector comprises at least one further polynucleotide which codes for a further enzyme which is involved in the biosynthesis of lipids or fatty acids. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A nonhuman host cell comprising the vector according to claim 1. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The host cell according to claim 5, wherein the host cell additionally comprises at least one further enzyme which is involved in the biosynthesis of lipids or fatty acids. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The host cell according to claim 6, wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, an acyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein) desaturase, an acyl-ACP thioesterase, a fatty acid acyltransferase, an acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferase, a fatty acid synthase, a fatty acid hydroxylase, an acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, an acyl-coenzyme A oxidase, a fatty acid desaturase, a fatty acid acetylenase, a lipoxygenase, a triacylglycerol lipase, an allene oxide synthase, a hydroperoxide lyase, a fatty acid elongase, a Δ4-desaturase, a Δ5-desaturase, a Δ6-desaturase, a Δ8-desaturase, a Δ9-desaturase, a Δ12-desaturase, a Δ5-elongase, a Δ6-elongase and a Δ9-elongase. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method of fortifying a food or feed product with a polypeptide with desaturase activity, comprising the steps: (a) expressing the vector according to claim 1, in a host cell; (b) obtaining, from the host cell, the polypeptide which is encoded by the polynucleotide according to (a); and (c) adding the polypeptide to the food or feed product. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A transgenic, nonhuman organism comprising the vector according to claim 1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The transgenic, nonhuman organism according to claim 9, wherein the organism is an animal, a plant or a multicellular microorganism. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) A method for the production of a substance which has the structure shown in the general formula I hereinbelow where the variables and substituents are as follows: R1=hydroxyl, coenzyme A (thioester), lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylglycerol, lysodiphosphatidylglycerol, lysophosphatidylserine, lysophosphatidylinositol, sphingo base or a radical of the formula II R2=hydrogen, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylglycerol, lysodiphosphatidylglycerol, lysophosphatidylserine, lysophosphatidylinositol or saturated or unsaturated C2-C24-alkylcarbonyl, R3=hydrogen, saturated or unsaturated C2-C24-alkylcarbonyl, or R2 and R3 independently of one another are a radical of the formula Ia: n=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 9, m=2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; and p=0 or 3; and wherein the method comprises the cultivation of host cell of claim 5, under conditions which permit the biosynthesis of the substance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A method for the production of a substance which has the structure shown in the general formula I hereinbelow where the variables and substituents are as follows: R1=hydroxyl, coenzyme A (thioester), lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylglycerol, lysodiphosphatidylglycerol, lysophosphatidylserine, lysophosphatidylinositol, sphingo base or a radical of the formula II R2=hydrogen, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylglycerol, lysodiphosphatidylglycerol, lysophosphatidylserine, lysophosphatidylinositol or saturated or unsaturated C2-C24-alkylcarbonyl, R3=hydrogen, saturated or unsaturated C2-C24-alkylcarbonyl, or R2 and R3 independently of one another are a radical of the formula Ia: n=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 9, m=2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; and p=0 or 3; and wherein the method comprises the cultivation of a transgenic, nonhuman organism of claim 9, under conditions which permit the biosynthesis of the substance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method for the production of an oil, lipid or fatty acid composition, comprising the step of the method according to claim 11, and the further step of formulating the substance as an oil, lipid or fatty acid composition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the oil, lipid or fatty acid composition is formulated further to produce a drug, a cosmetic product, a foodstuff, or a feedstuff. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the foodstuff is fish food or a food supplement.