Borago officinalis Linolenic acid

Borage Borago officinalis (Boraginaceae) seed 28-35 linoleic (38), y-linolenic (23-26), oleic (16), palmitic (11) dietary supplement for y-linolenic acid content (see page 46)... 

A -desaturase genes were isolated from cyanobacteria and Borago officinalis. Introduction of these genes into tobacco under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter resulted in y-linolenic acid (GLA) production in leaf lipids. The use of seed specific promoters also resulted in significant levels of GLA in seed lipids. 

Stymne, S. and Stobart, A.K. (1986) Biosynthesis of y-linolenic acid in cotyledons and microsomal preparations of the developing seeds of common borage (Borago officinalis). Biochem. J. 240, 385-393. 

Fatty acid enrichment. Polyunsaturated fatty acids belonging to the co-6 series such as y-linolenic acid (y-18 3) and dihomo-y-linolenic acid (y-20 3) and those of the (0-3 series such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22 6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 5), are of considerable importance due to their biomedical properties (Horrobin, 1982, 1992). Various plant seeds such as evening primrose Oenothera bienrus L.) and borage Borago officinalis L.) are good sources of y-linolenic acids while... 

In sharp contrast to animals, few plants only contain y-linolenic acid (octadeca-A6,9,12-trienoic acid) as triunsaturated fatty acid the major triunsaturated fatty acid in plants is usually a-linolenic acid. The oil of the common borage (Borago officinalis L.) seed is one of the most abundant plant soiirce of rlinolenic acid (Stymne and Stobart, 1986). After several experiments to improve the in vitro A6- and A 12-desaturation assays with respectively (l-l C)linoleoyl-CoA and (l-l C)oleoyl-CoA, we optimized the conditions for in vitro incubation (Galle et al., 1993). From studies on A6-desaturase of rat liver microsomes (Okayasu etaL, 1981), we supposed that in plant, the A6-desaturase belongs to the same enzymatic complex as A12-desaturase. 

A.M. Galle, M. Joseph, C. Demandre, P. Guerche, J.P. Dubacq, A. Oursel, P.Mazliak, G. Pelletier and J.C. Kader (1994) Biosynthesis of T linolenic acid in developing seeds of borage Borago officinalis L.). Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1158,52-58. 

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