Metabolic engineering for the production of omega-3 fatty acids, the clinically important molecules for nutrition and health

• Main Author: A Maria, Margret
• Other Authors: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/61103
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

EPA and DHA that are omega-3 long chain-polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are referred to as 21st century’s miracle food due to their beneficial roles in the pharmaceutical and nutrition industries. EPA and DHA have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and intellectual development. Therefore, there is increasing demand for these omega-3 LC-PUFA. However, since the most common commercial source for EPA and DHA is limited to ocean fish, increasing world population and overfishing curbs their supply. Microbial production of EPA and DHA incorporated with a metabolic engineering approach presents a feasible solution to commercially produce these omega-3 LC-PUFA. In microbes, synthesis of LC-PUFA can proceed via the aerobic pathway involving desaturases and elongases or the anaerobic pathway involving polyketide synthases. Yarrowia lipolytica, a yeast, exhibits high lipid accumulation when nutrient deprived under aerobic conditions. Shewanella baltica, a marine bacterium, synthesizes PUFA during cold temperatures under anaerobic conditions as a mechanism to regulate its membrane fluidity. Therefore, Yarrowia lipolytica and Shewanella baltica serve as suitable microbial hosts for the production of EPA and DHA through genetic engineering strategies .