Progress in the genetic engineering of cereals to produce essential polyunsaturated fatty acids

• Published in: Journal of biotechnology Vol. 284; pp. 115 - 122
• Main Authors: Kraic, Ján, Mihálik, Daniel, Klčová, Lenka, Gubišová, Marcela, Klempová, Tatiana, Hudcovicová, Martina, Ondreičková, Katarína, Mrkvová, Michaela, Havrlentová, Michaela, Gubiš, Jozef, Čertík, Milan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 20.10.2018
• Subjects: Arley; Desaturation; Elongation; Genetic modification; LC-PUFAs; PUFAs; Wheat; Arley; PUFAs; Wheat; LC-PUFAs; Genetic modification; Desaturation; Elongation; arley
• ISSN: 0168-1656; 1873-4863
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2018.08.009

•Genes encoding enzyme of fatty acid biosynthesis has been already isolated.•Genetic transformations of the model plants by these genes opened the way for the genetic modification of PUFAs in oilseed plant species.•Synthetic biology can overcome gaps in PUFAs biosynthesis also in cereals.•Successful modifications of the ω-3 and ω-6 PUFA pathways have been succeeded also in main cereals.•Transgenic plants producing some PUFAs can produce oil similar with the standard fish oil. Essential polyunsaturated fatty acids with more than two double bonds and length of carbon chain 18–22 must be taken in the diet to prevent diseases and imbalances caused by their deficiency. Terrestrial sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids are limited to only a few plant species whose large-scale cultivation is not possible and the production of their seeds and oil is ineffective. The complete biosynthetic pathway of fatty acids is known in organisms, including plants. After the first gene encoding the enzyme catalysing the initial steps of PUFA biosynthesis (ω-3 desaturase, Δ6-desaturase) were isolated, isolation of other genes encoding relevant enzymes of the PUFA pathway from different donor organisms followed. Genetic transformations of model plants by the desaturase- and elongase-encoding genes opened the way for the genetic engineering of oilseed crop species. Some of the developed transgenic plants produced PUFAs, including eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. Seed oils extracted from them were similar to fish oil. Tools of the synthetic biology can be applied in modifications of the PUFA pathway and also in overcoming of limitations when the gene and its expression product are absent in the pathway. Such progress in cereals (barley, wheat, maize) has been made only recently, when the first successful modifications of the ω-3 and ω-6 PUFA pathways succeeded. This review focuses on genetic modifications of the PUFA biosynthetic pathway in cereals in relation to the status reached in model plants and oilseed crops.