Over-production of dihomo linolenic acid by a mutant strain of parietochloris incisa

• US 20110263708A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ben Gurion University of The Negev
• Original Assignee: Ben Gurion University of The Negev
• Inventors: Cohen, Zvi, Khozin-Goloberg, Inne, Vonshak, Avigad, Boussiba, Sammy
• Granted Patent: US 8,871,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/560
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 9/00 Other edible oils or fats, e.g. shortenings, cooking oils
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/12 Fatty acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/40 Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/334 treating the effects of consuming alcohol, narcotics or other addictive behavior, e.g. treating hangover or reducing blood alcohol levels
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/1862 Arachidonic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/1874 Linolenic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/125 Unicellular algae isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/0083 Miscellaneous (1.14.99)
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/89 Algae ; Processes using algae

Abstract

The present invention is primarily directed to a mutant strain of Parietochloris incisa, characterized in comprising a substantially reduced intracellular concentration of arachidonic acid (AA) together with a substantially increased intracellular concentration of dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid 20:3ω6 (DGLA).

Claims

1. A mutant train of Parietochloris incisa, characterized in comprising a substantially reduced intracellular concentration of arachidonic acid (AA) together with a substantially increased intracellular concentration of dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid 20:

3ω

6 (DGLA).

2. The mutant strain according to claim 1, wherein said strain is defective in its Δ

5 desaturase (Δ

5D) gene.

3. The mutant strain according to claim 1, wherein the intracellular concentration of AA in relation to total cellular fatty acids is less than 0.1% (w/w), and wherein the intracellular concentration of DGLA is at least 30% (w/w).

4. The mutant strain according to claim 1, wherein said strain is strain IKG-1, having ATCC Accession No. ______.

7. The process according to claim 5, wherein the mutant Parietochloris incisa strain is the strain defined in claim 4.

5. A process for producing DGLA, comprising incubating a mutant strain of the microalga Parietochloris incisa that is defective in its Δ

5 desaturase (Δ

5D) gene, and recovering DGLA-containing lipids therefrom.

6. The process according to claim 5, wherein the ratio of DGLA to AA in the DGLA-containing lipids is greater than 25:

1 by weight.

11. The DGLA-containing lipid according to claim 8, wherein said lipid is prepared by a process according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

8. A DGLA-containing lipid, wherein the ratio of DGLA to AA in said lipid is at least 25:

1 by weight.

9. The DGLA-containing lipid according to claim 8, wherein the concentration of DGLA in said lipid is at least 30% (w/w).

10. The DGLA-containing lipid according to claim 8, wherein at least 90% (w/w) of the total lipids in said DGLA-containing lipid are triacylgycerols.

15. A nutrient composition comprising DGLA-containing lipids as defined in claim 8.

17. Use of DGLA-containing lipids as defined in claim 8 in the preparation of nutrient compositions.

19. The use according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the nutrient compositions are selected from the group consisting of animal feeds, human infant formulations, food supplements and health food compositions.

20. The use according to claim 19, wherein the health food composition is a composition intended for alleviating the side effects experienced following alcohol ingestion.

12. A prostaglandin E1 precursor of algal origin.

13. The prostaglandin E1 precursor according to claim 12, wherein said precursor is obtained from a mutant Parietochloris incisa strain that is defective in its Δ

5 desaturase (Δ

5D) gene.

14. The prostaglandin E1 precursor according to claim 13, wherein the mutant Parietochloris incisa strain is the strain defined in claim 4.

16. A nutrient composition comprising prostaglandin E1 precursors is defined in claim 12.

18. Use of prostaglandin E1 precursors as defined in claim 12 in the preparation of nutrient compositions.