Among thraustochytrids, Schizochytrium sp. Marine microbes, such as marine bacteria and protists (thraustochytrids), synthesize DHA from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA via polyketide-synthase like protein named PUFA synthase (PUFA-S) 4, 5, 6.

Disruption of the C20 fatty acid ELO (C20ELO) and ∆4 fatty acid DES (∆4DES) genes with expression of ω3 fatty acid DES in this thraustochytrid allowed the production of EPA and n-3docosapentaenoic acid (n-3DPA), respectively, at the highest level among known microbial sources using fed-batch culture.ĭocosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) is an n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3LC-PUFA) that exists in organisms ranging from certain microbes to mammals but not in higher plants 1, 2, 3. The reverse genetic approach and a tracing experiment using stable isotope-labeled fatty acids revealed that the ELO/DES pathway is the only DHA synthesis pathway in Parietichytrium sp. lacks PUFA-S but possesses all fatty acid elongase (ELO) and desaturase (DES) genes required for DHA synthesis. Analysis of a homemade draft genome database suggested that Parietichytrium sp. Thraustochytrids are marine protists characterized by anaerobic biosynthesis of DHA via polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase (PUFA-S).

The demand for n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3LC-PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), will exceed their supply in the near future, and a sustainable source of n-3LC-PUFAs is needed.

Pure pc phosphotyldcholine