Abstract:
In Spirulina platensis, the synthesis of ?-linolenic acid (GLA) involves three desaturases, ?9- ?12- and ?6 desaturase. These enzymes introduce double bonds at ?9 ?12 and ?6 position of stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1?9) and linoleic acid (C18:2?9,12), which are regulated by desC, desA and desD, respectively. This thesis aims to study the expression of desaturase genes at various growth phases of S. platensis Z19/2 at the transcriptional level by Reverse Transcription
Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) using 16S rRNA as an internal control (because of its constance throughout the experiment before decreasing in the death phase) and the translational level in the plasma and thylakoid membrane by western blot analysis. The results demonstrated the effect of growth phase on the expression of desaturase genes. The expression of desC and desD increased in the mid log phase (92 hours) corresponding to high level of ?9 desaturase in the
plasma membrane. This might be because of ?9 desaturase is initially needed by the cells for the transformation of C18:0 to C18:1?9, which is the precursor of C18:2?9,12 and C18:3?6,9,12. However, ?9 desaturase in the thylakoid membrane was at a constant level. The increase of desD expression corresponded to ?6 desaturase in the plasma and thylakoid membrane. After that, desC and desD expression decreased and kept at constant level in the stationary phase, corresponding to ?9 desaturase in the plasma membrane and ?6 desaturase in the plasma and thylakoid membrane. The results demonstrated that the expression of desC was regulated at the transcriptional level in the plasma membrane, but at the translational level in the thylakoid membrane, whereas the desD was regulated at the transcriptional level in both the plasma and thylakoid membrane. In the case of desA, the constant level of gene expression during various growth phases was found. However, 45 kDa- and 40 kDa-?12 desaturases in the thylakoid membrane increased in the early log phase, and changed to decreased and then to constant level until the early stationary phase. Finally, this enzyme was increased again in the late stationary phase. On the other hand, 45 kDa-?12 desaturase in the plasma membrane increased in the late log phase and decreased in the early stationary phase and then to increase in the late stationary phase. Nevertheless, the level of C18:2?9,12 was constant
during various growth phases, but increased in the late stationary and death phase [12]. This might be due to the increase of ?12 desaturase that is required for transformation of C18:1?9 to C18:2?9,12. However, ?6 desaturase increased that affects transformation of C18:2?9,12 to C18:3?6,9,12. Therefore, C18:2?9,12 was not changed. In the late stationary, the increase of C18:2?9,12
corresponded to the increase level of ?12 desaturase and the decrease level of ?6 desaturase, resulting in the accumulation of C18:2?9,12. The results indicated that desA in the plasma and thylakoid membrane were regulated at the translational level.