Plumbing the depths of PUFA biosynthesis: a novel polyketide synthase-like pathway from marine organisms
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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Functional Complementation Analysis (FCA): A Laboratory Exercise Designed and Implemented to Supplement the Teaching of Biochemical Pathways
Published on: June 24, 2016
Abstract:
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are involved in determining the biophysical properties of membranes as well as being precursors for signalling molecules. C(20+) PUFA biosynthesis is catalysed by sequential desaturation and fatty acyl elongation reactions. This aerobic biosynthetic pathway was thought to be taxonomically conserved, but an alternative anaerobic pathway for the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids is now known to exist that is analogous to polyketide synthases (PKS). These novel PKS genes could be used to direct the synthesis of PUFAs in heterologous hosts, as well as exploiting the combinatorial chemistry of PKSs to make unusual fatty acids.
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