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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2011, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (3): 256-267.

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Progress of research on △12 fatty acid desaturases and their coding genes

LIU Yong-hong1,2, ZHANG Li-jing1, ZHANG Hong-rong1, FU Hua1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystem, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China;
    2.Tonglu Agro-Tech Extension Center of Zhejiang province, Tonglu 311500, China
  • Received:2010-03-17 Online:2011-03-25 Published:2011-06-20

Abstract: △12 fatty acid desaturases (fad2) are key enzymes which catalyze the introduction of double bonds at the delta 12 position in the hydrocarbon chain and thereby convert oleic acid to linoleic acid. They control the synthesis of oleic acid, linoleic acid and other polyunsaturated lipids in plant cells. △12 fatty acid desaturases are categorized into fad2 and fad6 type according to their different electron donors. fad2 type can be further categorized into housekeeping-type and seed-type fad2. fad2 and fad6 types have the same functionality but different genetic relationship. In this article, recent research advances on △12 fatty acid desaturases in terms of their structure and function, classification, evolutionary system, physiological function, gene cloning, gene structure and copy number in plants are reviewed. The directions of the relative research field are also discussed.

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