Unique fatty acid desaturase capacities uncovered in Hediste diversicolor illustrate the roles of aquatic invertebrates in trophic upgrading.

ABSTRACT: Omega-3 (ω3 or n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), play physiologically important roles in vertebrates. These compounds have long been believed to have originated almost exclusively from aquatic (mostly marine) single-cell organisms. Yet, a recent study has discovered that many invertebrates possess a type of enzymes called methyl-end desaturases (ωx) that enables them to endogenously produce n-3 long-chain PUFA and could make a significant contribution to production of these compounds in the marine environment. Polychaetes are major components of benthic fauna and thus important to maintain a robust food web as a recycler of organic matter and a prey item for higher trophic l

SUBMITTER: Kabeya N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7333967 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature