Algal elongase 6

• US 9,376,687 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Algae, Incorporated (Reliance Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Algae, Incorporated (Reliance Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kilian, Oliver, Vick, Bertrand
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLAND, PAUL J
• Application Number:
  US14/328,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20150104875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/79 Vectors or expression systems specially adapted for eukaryotic hosts
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8247 involving modified lipid metabolism, e.g. seed oil composition
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/1029 transferring groups other than amino-acyl groups (2.3.1)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/93 Ligases (6)
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 602/01003 Long-chain-fatty-acid-CoA ligase (6.2.1.3)

Abstract

Provided herein are exemplary isolated nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides having elongase activity, which utilize fatty acids as substrates.

Claims

1. A method of modulating poly unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in an algal cell, said method comprising:

enhancing or suppressing expression of an elongase 6 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO;

14 in said algal cell,

wherein said enhancing expression comprises replacement of an endogenous promoter with a strong promoter in front of a gene encoding said elongase 6,

wherein said suppressing expression is selected from the group consisting of replacement of an endogenous promoter with a weak promoter in front of a gene encoding said elongase 6, an insertion in a gene encoding said elongase 6 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO;

14, and a deletion or a substitution of a portion or a full length of said gene encoding elongase 6 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO;

14,

wherein said strong promoter is stronger than said endogenous promoter and said weak promoter is weaker than said endogenous promoter;

thereby modulating poly unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in said algal cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said expression of said elongase 6 is enhanced and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) production is increased in said algal cell relative to an algal cell without said enhanced expression.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said expression of said elongase 6 is suppressed and EPA production is decreased in said algal cell relative to an algal cell without said suppressed expression.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said algal cell is a Nannochloropsis cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said algal cell comprises an insertion in said gene encoding said elongase 6 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

14.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said algal cell comprises a deletion or a substitution of a portion or a full length of said gene encoding elongase 6 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

14.