Desaturation of linoleic acid in the marine diatom Haslea ostrearia Simonsen (Bacillariophyceae)

The work reported here studied the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the marine diatom Haslea ostrearia Simonsen. Microalgae were incubated with [1-C-14] linoleic acid for 4, 8 and 12 hours. Analysis by HPLC showed that linolenic, eicosatetraenoic and eicosapentaenoic n-3 fatty acids were synthesized from radiolabeled linoleic acid. Results showed that this diatom has the enzymatic capacity for the biosynthesis of eicosa-polyunsaturated fatty acids through Delta6- and Delta5- desaturation and furthermore has the capacity for synthesis of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.