Identification of a Caenorhabditis elegans Δ6-fatty-acid-desaturase by heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

We identified a cDNA expressed sequence tag from an animal (the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans) that showed weak similarity to a higher-plant microsomal Δ6-desaturase. A full-length cDNA clone was isolated and expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This demonstrated that the protein encoded by the C. elegans cDNA was that of a fatty acid Δ6-desaturase, as determined by the accumulation of γ-linolenic acid. The C. elegans Δ6-desaturase contained an N-terminalcytochrome b5 domain, indicating that it had a similar structure to that of the higher-plant Δ6-desaturase. The C. elegans Δ6-desaturase mapped to cosmid W08D2, a region of chromosome III. This is the first example of a Δ6-desaturase isolated from an animal and also the first example of an animal desaturase containing a cytochrome b5 domain.