Abstract: The present invention relates to a ?5 desaturase, which has the ability to convert dihomo-?-linolenic acid (DGLA; 20:3 ?-6) to arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4 ?-6) and/or eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA; 20:4 ?-3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 ?-3). Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?5 desaturase along with a method of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using this ?5 desaturase in oleaginous yeast are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ?6 desaturases, which have the ability to convert linoleic acid [“LA”; 18:2 ?-6] to ?-linolenic acid [“GLA”; 18:3 ?-6] and/or ?-linolenic acid [“ALA”; 18:3 ?-3] to stearidonic acid [“STA”; 18:4 ?-3]. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?6 desaturases, along with methods of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”] using these ?6 desaturases in oleaginous yeast, are disclosed.

Abstract: Engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 10% arachidonic acid (ARA, an ?-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the total oil fraction are described. These strains comprise various chimeric genes expressing heterologous desaturases, elongases and acyltransferases, and optionally comprise various native desaturase and acyltransferase knockouts to enable synthesis and high accumulation of ARA. Production host cells are claimed, as are methods for producing ARA within said host cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ?9 elongases, which have the ability to convert linoleic acid [18:2, LA] to eicosadienoic acid [20:2, EDA]. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?9 elongase along with methods of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these ?9 elongases in plants and oleaginous yeast are disclosed.

Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase [“LPAAT”] participates in the second step of oil biosynthesis and is expected to play a key role in altering the quantity of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“LC-PUFAs”] produced in oils of oleaginous organisms. An LPAAT isolated from Mortierella alpina [“MaLPAAT1”] that is suitable for use in the manufacture of oils enriched in LC-PUFAs in oleaginous organisms is disclosed. Most desirably, the substrate specificity of the instant MaLPAAT1 will be particularly useful to enable increased C18 to C20 elongation conversion efficiency and increased ?4 desaturation conversion efficiency in recombinant host cells producing LC-PUFAs.

Abstract: An engineered strain of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 5.6% docosahexaenoic acid acid (DHA, an w-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the total oil fraction is described. This strain comprises various chimeric genes expressing heterologous desaturases, elongases and acyltransferases and optionally comprises various native desaturase and acyltransferase knockouts to enable synthesis and high accumulation of DHA. Production host cells are claimed, as are methods for producing DHA within said host cells.

Abstract: Acyl-CoA binding protein [“ACBP”] binds thiol esters of long fatty acids and coenzyme A in a one-to-one binding mode with high specificity and affinity. This protein is expected to play an important role in altering lipid production in oleaginous microbial organisms. Knock-out of the protein in the oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, results in a decrease in the total lipid content, while overexpression results in an increase in the total lipid content of the recombinant Yarrowia cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ?17 desaturases, which have the ability to convert ?-6 fatty acids into their ?-3 counterparts (i.e., conversion of arachidonic acid [20:4, ARA] to eicosapentaenoic acid [20:5, EPA]). Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?17 desaturases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these ?17 desaturases in oleaginous yeast are disclosed.

Abstract: Described here are ?4 desaturases that convert all-cis-7,10,13,16,19-docosapentaenoic acid [“DPA”; 22:5 ?-3] to docosahexaenoic acid [“DHA”; 22:6 ?-3], with secondary activity in converting docosatetraenoic acid [“DTA”; 22:4 ?-6] to all-cis-4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoic acid [“DPAn-6”; 22:5 ?-6]. Also, described here are isolated nuclei acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?4 desaturases as well as methods of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”] using this ?4 desaturase in oleaginous yeast.

Abstract: Engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 10% arachidonic acid (ARA, an ?-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the total oil fraction are described. These strains comprise various chimeric genes expressing heterologous desaturases, elongases and acyltransferases, and optionally comprise various native desaturase and acyltransferase knockouts to enable synthesis and high accumulation of ARA. Production host cells are claimed, as are methods for producing ARA within said host cells.

Abstract: A thermostable TAL enzyme was identified from the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, which has high activity at temperatures of 40° C. to about 60° C. The enzyme was produced in engineered cells and used for production of para-hydroxycinnamic acid (pHCA) from tyrosine. When the pHCA production reaction was run at high temperature, the enzyme was more active and pHCA was produced more rapidly, making the reaction more efficient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ?17 desaturases, which have the ability to convert ?-6 fatty acids into their ?-3 counterparts (i.e., conversion of arachidonic acid [20:4, ARA] to eicosapentaenoic acid [20:5, EPA]). Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?17 desaturases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these ?17 desaturases in oleaginous yeast are disclosed.

Abstract: An engineered strain of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 5.6% docosahexaenoic acid acid (DHA, an w-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the total oil fraction is described. This strain comprises various chimeric genes expressing heterologous desaturases, elongases and acyltransferases and optionally comprises various native desaturase and acyltransferase knockouts to enable synthesis and high accumulation of DHA. Production host cells are claimed, as are methods for producing DHA within said host cells.

Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding delta-9 elongases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these delta-9 elongases in plants.

Abstract: Methods of increasing the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotes, accomplished by modifying the activity of peroxisome biogenesis factor (Pex) proteins. Disruptions of a chromosomal Pex3 gene, Pex10p gene or Pex16p gene in a PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotic strain resulted in an increased amount of PUFAs, as a percent of total fatty acids and as a percent of dry cell weight, in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of the strain, as compared to the parental strain whose native Pex protein was not disrupted.

Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) participates in the second step of oil biosynthesis and is expected to play a key role in altering the quantity of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids produced in oils of oleaginous organisms. The present application provides a nucleic acid fragment (identified as “LPAAT2”) isolated from Mortierella alpina encoding a LPAAT homolog that is suitable for use in the manufacture of oils enriched in omega fatty acids in oleaginous organisms. Most desirably, the substrate specificity of the instant LPAAT2 will be particularly useful to enable accumulation of long-chain PUFAs having chain lengths equal to or greater than C20 in oleaginous yeast, such as Yarrowia lipolytica.

Abstract: Acyltransferases are provided, suitable for use in the manufacture of microbial oils enriched in omega fatty acids in oleaginous yeast (e.g., Yarrowia lipolytica). Specifically, genes encoding diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1) have been isolated from Y. lipolytica and Mortierella alpina. These genes encode enzymes that participate in the terminal step in oil biosynthesis in yeast. Each is expected to play a key role in altering the quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids produced in oils of oleaginous yeasts.

Abstract: Engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 50 weight percent of eicosapentaenoic acid [“EPA”], an ?-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, in the total oil fraction are described. These strains over-express heterologous ?9 elongases, ?8 desaturases, ?5 desaturases, ?17 desaturases, ?12 desaturases and C16/18 elongases, and optionally over-express diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferases. Preferred gene knockouts are also described. Production host cells, methods for producing EPA within said host cells, and products comprising EPA from the optimized Yarrowia lipolytica strains are claimed.

Abstract: Methods to produce resveratrol and/or resveratrol glucoside in a recombinant oleaginous microorganism are provided. Expression of a resveratrol synthase gene in combination with genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway enabled recombinant microbial production of resveratrol in significant amounts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fungal C16/18 fatty acid elongase that is able to catalyze the conversion of palmitate (16:0) to stearic acid (18:0). Specifically, the nucleotide sequence of a Mortierella alpina C16/18 fatty acid elongase is provided (designated as “ELO3”). Methods of increasing microbial oil production, increasing carbon flux into the polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathway and increasing the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids by over-expression of the C16/18 fatty acid elongase are described herein. Most desirably, the substrate specificity of the instant ELO3 will be particularly useful to enable accumulation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in oleaginous yeast, such as Yarrowia lipolytica.