The temperature-dependent expression of the desaturase gene desA in Synechocystis PCC6803

We examined the temperature-dependent regulation of the expression of the desA gene, which encodes delta 12 desaturase of Synechocystis PCC6803. The level of desA transcript increased 10-fold within 1 h upon a decrease in temperature from 36 degrees C to 22 degrees C. This suggests that the low-temperature-induced desaturation of membrane lipid fatty acids is regulated at the level of the expression of the desaturase genes. The accumulation of the desA transcript depended on the extent of temperature change over a certain threshold level, but not on the absolute temperature.