One of the most interesting groups of fatty acid derivates is the group of conjugated fatty acids from which the most researched include: conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA), which are associated with countless health benefits. Sex pheromone mixtures of some insect species, including tobacco horn-worm (Manduca sexta), are typical for the production of uncommon C16 long conjugated fatty acids with two and three conjugated double bonds, as opposed to C18 long CLA and CLNA. In this study, M. sexta desaturases MsexD2 and MsexD3 were expressed in multiple strains of Y. lipolytica with different genotypes. Experiments with the supplementation of fatty acid methyl esters into the medium resulted in the production of novel fatty acids. Using GCxGC-MS, 20 new fatty acids with two or three double bonds were identified. Fatty acids with conjugated or isolated double bonds, or a combination of both, were produced in trace amounts. The results of this study prove that Y. lipolytica is capable of synthesizing C16-conjugated fatty acids. Further genetic optimization of the Y. lipolytica genome and optimization of the fermentation process could lead to increased production of novel fatty acid derivatives with biotechnologically interesting properties.
Keywords: Manduca; Yarrowia; conjugase; desaturase; metabolic engineering; pheromone.