Heterologous Reconstitution of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Arabidopsis

Figure 1

Metabolism of the two series of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) is the main n-3 VLC-PUFA derived from the essential precursor α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 n-3), and arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4 n-6) is the main n-6 VLC-PUFA derived from the essential precursor linoleic acid (LA, 18:2 n-6). VLC-PUFAs are synthesized by successive elongations and desaturations. The key enzymes involved in this work are indicated in the pathway with large bold arrows.