Dataset Information

Genes for de novo biosynthesis of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are widespread in animals.

ABSTRACT: Marine ecosystems are responsible for virtually all production of omega-3 (?3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which are essential nutrients for vertebrates. Current consensus is that marine microbes account for this production, given their possession of key enzymes including methyl-end (or "?x") desaturases. ?x desaturases have also been described in a small number of invertebrate animals, but their precise distribution has not been systematically explored. This study identifies 121 ?x desaturase sequences from 80 species within the Cnidaria, Rotifera, Mollusca, Annelida, and Arthropoda. Horizontal gene transfer has contributed to this hitherto unknown widespread distribution. Functional characterization of animal ?x desaturases provides evidence that multiple invertebrates have the ability to produce ?3 PUFA de novo and further biosynthesize ?3 long-chain PUFA. This finding represents a fundamental revision in our understanding of ?3 long-chain PUFA production in global food webs, by revealing that numerous widespread and abundant invertebrates have the endogenous capacity to make significant contributions beyond that coming from marine microbes.

SUBMITTER: Kabeya N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5931762 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genes for de novo biosynthesis of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are widespread in animals.

Kabeya Naoki N Fonseca Miguel M MM Ferrier David E K DEK Navarro Juan C JC Bay Line K LK Francis David S DS Tocher Douglas R DR Castro L Filipe C LFC Monroig Óscar Ó

Science advances 20180502 5

Marine ecosystems are responsible for virtually all production of omega-3 (ω3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which are essential nutrients for vertebrates. Current consensus is that marine microbes account for this production, given their possession of key enzymes including methyl-end (or "ωx") desaturases. ωx desaturases have also been described in a small number of invertebrate animals, but their precise distribution has not been systematically explored. This study identifies ...[more]

PMID: 29732410

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Project description:The bark of Warburgia ugandensis (Canellaceae family) has been used as a medicinal source for a long history in many African countries. The presence of diverse terpenoids and abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in this organ contributes to its broad range of pharmacological properties. Despite its medicinal and economic importance, the knowledge on the biosynthesis of terpenoid and unsaturated fatty acid in W. ugandensis bark remains largely unknown. Therefore, it is necessary to construct a genomic and/or transcriptomic database for the functional genomics study on W. ugandensis. The chemical profiles of terpenoids and fatty acids between the bark and leaves of W. ugandensis were compared by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Meanwhile, the transcriptome database derived from both tissues was created using Illumina sequencing technology. In total, about 17.1 G clean nucleotides were obtained, and de novo assembled into 72,591 unigenes, of which about 38.06% can be aligned to the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Many candidate genes in the biosynthetic pathways of terpenoids and unsaturated fatty acids were identified, including 14 unigenes for terpene synthases. Furthermore, 2,324 unigenes were discovered to be differentially expressed between both tissues; the functions of those differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predicted by gene ontology enrichment and metabolic pathway enrichment analyses. In addition, the expression of 12 DEGs with putative roles in terpenoid and unsaturated fatty acid metabolic pathways was confirmed by qRT-PCRs, which was consistent with the data of the RNA-sequencing. In conclusion, we constructed a comprehensive transcriptome dataset derived from the bark and leaf of W. ugandensis, which forms the basis for functional genomics studies on this plant species. Particularly, the comparative analysis of the transcriptome data between the bark and leaf will provide critical clues to reveal the regulatory mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis of terpenoids and PUFAs in W. ugandensis.

Project description:Cerebral microinfarcts have significant effects on the development of geriatric neurological disorders, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the evolution of microinfarcts and potential treatment and prevention against these microvascular ischemic lesions. In the present study, the "single cortical microinfarct model" generated via occluding a penetrating arteriole by femtosecond laser ablation and the "multiple diffuse microinfarcts model" induced by unilateral injection of cholesterol crystals through the internal carotid artery were established to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the evolution of microinfarcts and the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (?-3 PUFAs) on alleviating microinfarct burdens and functional deficits. The occlusion of a single penetrating arteriole led to a distinct cortical microinfarct, which manifested as neuronal loss and occupation of activated glial cells in the ischemic core. Using Fat-1 transgenic mice and fish oil supplements, we demonstrated that both endogenously-generated and exogenously-delivered ?-3 PUFAs significantly inhibited the activation of receptor-interacting serine/threonine protein kinases 1 (RIPK1) and its downstream apoptosis-associated proteins, mitigated cell apoptosis, and anatomically reduced the microinfarct size. The protective effects of ?-3 PUFAs against microinfarcts were further verified in a multiple diffuse microinfarcts model, where ?-3 PUFAs significantly attenuated cell apoptosis as revealed by TUNEL staining, alleviated the diffuse microinfarct burdens and remarkably improved the functional deficits as evidenced by reduced spontaneous anxiety, increased preference for the novel object, and improved hippocampal-based learning and short-term memory. Together, these findings demonstrate that enriched brain ?-3 PUFAs are effective for reducing microinfarct burdens and improving the function deficits, which support the clinical research and application of ?-3 PUFAs in the treatment or prophylaxis in vascular dementia.

Dataset Information

Genes for de novo biosynthesis of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are widespread in animals.

Publications

Genes for de novo biosynthesis of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are widespread in animals.

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