Project description:Thraustochytrids are oleaginous marine eukaryotic microbes currently used to produce the essential omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 n-3). To improve the production of this essential fatty acid by strain engineering, it is important to deeply understand how thraustochytrids synthesize fatty acids. While DHA is synthesized by a dedicated enzyme complex, other fatty acids are probably synthesized by the fatty acid synthase, followed by desaturases and elongases. Which unsaturated fatty acids are produced differs between different thraustochytrid genera and species; for example, Aurantiochytrium sp. T66, but not Aurantiochytrium limacinum SR21, synthesizes palmitoleic acid (C16:1 n-7) and vaccenic acid (C18:1 n-7). How strain T66 can produce these fatty acids has not been known, because BLAST analyses suggest that strain T66 does not encode any Δ9-desaturase-like enzyme. However, it does encode one Δ12-desaturase-like enzyme. In this study, the latter enzyme was expressed in A. limacinum SR21, and both C16:1 n-7 and C18:1 n-7 could be detected in the transgenic cells. Our results show that this desaturase, annotated T66Des9, is a Δ9-desaturase accepting C16:0 as a substrate. Phylogenetic studies indicate that the corresponding gene probably has evolved from a Δ12-desaturase-encoding gene. This possibility has not been reported earlier and is important to consider when one tries to deduce the potential a given organism has for producing unsaturated fatty acids based on its genome sequence alone. KEY POINTS: • In thraustochytrids, automatic gene annotation does not always explain the fatty acids produced. • T66Des9 is shown to synthesize palmitoleic acid (C16:1 n-7). • T66des9 has probably evolved from Δ12-desaturase-encoding genes.
Project description:Thraustochytrids are marine heterotrophic microorganisms known for their potential to accumulate docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched lipids. There have been many attempts to improve thraustochytrid DHA bioprocesses, especially through traditional optimization of cultivation and media conditions. Nevertheless, thraustochytrid-based bioprocesses are still not commercially competitive for high volume-low cost production of DHA. Thus, it is realized that genetic and metabolic engineering strategies are needed for the development of commercially competitive thraustochytrid DHA cell factories. Here, we present an analytical workflow for high resolution phenotyping at metabolite and lipid levels to generate deeper insight into the thraustochytrid physiology, with particular focus on central carbon and redox metabolism. We use time-series sampling during unlimited growth and nitrogen depleted triggering of DHA synthesis and lipid accumulation (LA) to show-case our methodology. The mass spectrometric absolute quantitative metabolite profiling covered glycolytic, pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) metabolites, amino acids, complete (deoxy)nucleoside phosphate pools, CoA and NAD metabolites, while semiquantitative high-resolution supercritical fluid chromatography MS/MS was applied for the lipid profiling. Interestingly, trace amounts of a triacylglycerols (TG) with DHA incorporated in all three acyl positions was detected, while TGs 16:0_16:0_22:6 and 16:0_22:6_22:6 were among the dominant lipid species. The metabolite profiling data indicated that lipid accumulation is not limited by availability of the acyl chain carbon precursor acetyl-CoA nor reducing power (NADPH) but rather points to the TG head group precursor glycerol-3-phosphate as the potential cause at the metabolite level for the gradual decline in lipid production throughout the cultivation. This high-resolution phenotyping provides new knowledge of changes in the central metabolism during growth and LA in thraustochytrids and will guide target selection for metabolic engineering needed for further improvements of this DHA cell factory.
Project description:Thraustochytrids of the genera Schizochytrium and Aurantiochytrium accumulate oils rich in the essential, marine n3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA production in Aurantiochytrium sp T66 was studied with the aim to provide more knowledge about factors that affect the DHA-productivities and the contributions of the two enzyme systems used for fatty acid synthesis in thraustochytrids, fatty acid synthetase (FAS) and PUFA-synthase. Fermentations with nitrogen starvation, which is well-known to initiate lipid accumulation in oleaginous organisms, were compared to fermentations with nitrogen in excess where lipid accumulation was obtained by oxygen limitation. The specific productivities of fatty acids originating from FAS were considerably higher under nitrogen starvation than with nitrogen in excess, while the specific productivities of DHA were the same at both conditions. Global transcriptome analysis showed significant up-regulation of FAS under N-deficient conditions, while the PUFA-synthase genes were only marginally upregulated. Neither of them was upregulated under O2-limitation where nitrogen was in excess, suggesting that N-starvation mainly affects the FAS and may be less important for the PUFA-synthase. The transcriptome analysis also revealed responses likely to be related to the generation of reducing power (NADPH) for fatty acid synthesis.
Project description:The marine microorganisms thraustochytrids have been explored for their potential in the production of various bioactive compounds, such as DHA, carotenoids, and squalene. Squalene is a secondary metabolite of the triterpenoid class and is known for its importance in various industrial applications. The bioinformatic analysis for squalene synthase (SQS) gene (the first key enzyme in the tri-terpenoid synthesis pathway), that is prevailing among thraustochytrids, is poorly investigated. In-silico studies combining sequence alignments and bioinformatic tools helped in the preliminary characterization of squalene synthases found in Aurantiochytrium limacinum. The sequence contained highly conserved regions for SQS found among different species indicated the enzyme had all the regions for its functionality. The signal peptide sequence and transmembrane regions were absent, indicating an important aspect of the subcellular localization. Secondary and 3-D models generated using appropriate templates demonstrated the similarities with SQS of the other species. The 3-D model also provided important insights into possible active, binding, phosphorylation, and glycosylation sites.
Project description:Biosynthesis of the various lipid species that compose cellular membranes and lipid droplets depends on the activity of multiple enzymes functioning in coordinated pathways. The flux of intermediates through lipid biosynthetic pathways is regulated to respond to nutritional and environmental demands placed on the cell necessitating that there be flexibility in pathway activity and organization. This flexibility can in part be achieved through the organization of enzymes into metabolon supercomplexes. However, the composition and organization of such supercomplexes remain unclear. Here, we identified protein-protein interactions between acyltransferases Sct1, Gpt2, Slc1, Dga1, and the Δ9 acyl-CoA desaturase Ole1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We further determined that a subset of these acyltransferases interact with each other independent of Ole1. We show that truncated versions of Dga1 lacking the carboxyl-terminal 20 amino acid residues are nonfunctional and unable to bind Ole1. Furthermore, charged-to-alanine scanning mutagenesis revealed that a cluster of charged residues near the carboxyl terminus was required for the interaction with Ole1. Mutation of these charged residues disrupted the interaction between Dga1 and Ole1 but allowed Dga1 to retain catalytic activity and to induce lipid droplet formation. These data support the formation of a complex of acyltransferases involved in lipid biosynthesis that interacts with Ole1, the sole acyl-CoA desaturase in S. cerevisiae, that can channel unsaturated acyl chains toward phospholipid or triacylglycerol synthesis. This desaturasome complex may provide the architecture that allows for the necessary flux of de novo-synthesized unsaturated acyl-CoA to phospholipid or triacylglycerol synthesis as demanded by cellular requirements.
Project description:Thraustochytrids are aquatic unicellular protists organisms that represent an important reservoir of a wide range of bioactive compounds, such as essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as arachidonic acid (ARA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are involved in the regulation of the immune system. In this study, we explore the use of co-cultures of Aurantiochytrium sp. and bacteria as a biotechnological tool capable of stimulating PUFA bioaccumulation. In particular, the co-culture of lactic acid bacteria and the protist Aurantiochytrium sp. T66 induce PUFA bioaccumulation, and the lipid profile was evaluated in cultures at different inoculation times, with two different strains of lactic acid bacteria capable of producing the tryptophan dependent auxins, and one strain of Azospirillum sp., as a reference for auxin production. Our results showed that the Lentilactobacillus kefiri K6.10 strain inoculated at 72 h gives the best PUFA content (30.89 mg g-1 biomass) measured at 144 h of culture, three times higher than the control (8.87 mg g-1 biomass). Co-culture can lead to the generation of complex biomasses with higher added value for developing aquafeed supplements.
Project description:The unicellular marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum accumulates up to 35% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n3) and has been used as a model organism to study long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis due to an excellent annotated genome sequence and established transformation system. In P. tricornutum, the majority of EPA accumulates in polar lipids, particularly in galactolipids such as mono- and di-galactosyldiacylglycerol. LC-PUFA biosynthesis is considered to start from oleic acid (18:1n9). EPA can be synthesized via a series of desaturation and elongation steps occurring at the endoplasmic reticulum and newly synthesized EPA is then imported into the plastids for incorporation into galactolipids via an unknown route. The basis for the flux of EPA is fundamental to understanding LC-PUFA biosynthesis in diatoms. We used P. tricornutum to study acyl modifying activities, upstream of 18:1n9, on subsequent LC-PUFA biosynthesis. We identified the gene coding for the plastidial acyl carrier protein Δ9-desaturase, a key enzyme in fatty acid modification and analyzed the impact of overexpression and knock out of this gene on glycerolipid metabolism. This revealed a previously unknown role of this soluble desaturase in EPA synthesis and production of triacylglycerol. This study provides further insight into the distinctive nature of lipid metabolism in the marine diatom P. tricornutum and suggests additional approaches for tailoring oil composition in microalgae.