Exploration and Functional Elucidation of a Novel Protein Involved in the Metabolism of omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Bacteria

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15733
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ogawa Takuya 京都大学, 化学研究所, 助教 (40756318)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ω-3系高度不飽和脂肪酸 / 脂質代謝 / 微生物変換 / エイコサペンタエン酸 / ドコサヘキサエン酸 / β-酸化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aiming at developing a microbe-based ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) production system, it is important to comprehensively understand ω-3 PUFA metabolism. In this study, I focused on the ability of the bacterium belonging to the genus Shewanella to metabolize ω-3 PUFA and tried to search for novel proteins that are related to PUFA metabolism. As a result, I revealed the mechanism of conversion from docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid via a β-oxidation pathway and found the possible involvement of genes of unknown functions in the ω-3 PUFA metabolism or its regulation.

Free Research Field

応用微生物

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

微生物のω-3 PUFAに関する既往の研究では合成反応に主眼が置かれ、分解や変換といった他の代謝経路や代謝の制御に関する知見が乏しかった。これらを含めたω-3 PUFA代謝の全容の理解は基礎生物学的にも、微生物の応用開発のうえでも重要である。本研究で新たに得られた知見は、微生物によるPUFA代謝の基礎的理解を広げるとともに、微生物を用いたω-3 PUFAの合成・変換系の構築や生産性向上を考えるうえで応用可能な知見である。