Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd.

University of Miyazaki

Kyushu University

Konan Gakuen

Yosuke Taoka

Naoki Nagano

Masahiro Hayashi

Shinichi Sugimoto

Makoto Ito

Yuji Okita

Daisuke Honda

Takanori Matsuda

Keishi Sakaguchi

Takumi Kobayashi

Hitoshi Izumida

Sanae Nakajima

A microbial oil is extracted from stramenopile transformed with a gene associated with synthesis of fatty acids, the gene encoding a fatty acid desaturase. The stramenopile belongs to the class Labyrinthulomycete. The microbial oil satisfies one or more of the following requirements: (a) an amount of arachidonic acid is 7% or less based on a total amount of the fatty acid composition; (b) an amount of DPA is 9% or less based on the total amount of the fatty acid composition; (c) an amount of ETA is 0.04% or more based on the total amount of the fatty acid composition; (d) an amount of EPA is 7% or more based on the total amount of the fatty acid composition; and (e) an amount of DHA is 45% or more based on the total amount of the fatty acid composition.

Microbial oil extracted from stramenopiles

Disclosed is a transformation method whereby an ability to produce a useful substance of a stramenopile can be improved. The method for transforming a stramenopile comprises transferring a foreign gene into the stramenopile which is a microorganism belonging to the class, more specifically, to a genus, etc. Said foreign gene, which is a gene relating to tolerance against an antibiotic, a colorimetric protein and/or a fatty acid desaturase (&#x394;5 desaturase gene, &#x394;12 desaturase gene and/or &#x3c9;3 desaturase gene), is transferred by using the electroporation or gene-gun technique.

Method for transforming stramenopiles

[PROBLEMS] To provide a fat-and-oil in which the content of docosahexaenoic acid is increased. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A process for producing highly unsaturated fatty acids comprising culturing a stramenopile capable of producing highly unsaturated fatty acids in a culture medium containing an inhibitor for fatty acid desaturases; fats-and-oils in which the content of highly unsaturated fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid produced by the relevant method, is increased. A method for enhancing the productivity of highly unsaturated fatty acids in stramenopiles, comprising culturing a stramenopile in a culture medium containing an inhibitor for fatty acid desaturases; stramenopiles having the enhanced productivity of highly unsaturated fatty acids, generated by the relevant method. Particularly, the process for producing highly unsaturated fatty acids, the method for enhancing the productivity of highly unsaturated fatty acids, and the stramenopile having the enhanced productivity of highly unsaturated fatty acids, wherein the stramenopile is a microorganism classified into Labyrinthulea.

Method for increasing the content of docosahexaenoic acid in fat-containing materials or in fats and oils

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Tokyo, Japan

Yosuke Taoka