Trans 18-carbon monoenoic fatty acid has distinct effects from its isomeric cis fatty acid on lipotoxicity and gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

• Published in: Journal of bioscience and bioengineering Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 33 - 38
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Toyokazu, Nguyet, Vo Thi Anh, Kato, Sae, Arii, Yasuhiro, Akino, Toshiharu, Izawa, Shingo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Elsevier B.V 01-01-2017
• Subjects: Elaidic acid; Fatty Acid Desaturases - genetics; Fatty Acid Desaturases - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal - drug effects; Isomerism; Lipid droplets; Lipotoxicity; Mutation; Ole1; Oleic acid; Oleic Acid - chemistry; Oleic Acid - toxicity; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - drug effects; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - metabolism; Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase; Trans-fatty acid; Elaidic acid; Trans-fatty acid; Ole1; Lipotoxicity; Oleic acid; Lipid droplets
• ISSN: 1389-1723; 1347-4421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2016.07.006

Epidemiological studies have suggested that an excess intake of trans-unsaturated fatty acids increases the risk of coronary heart disease. However, the mechanisms of action of trans-unsaturated fatty acids in eukaryotic cells remain unclear. Since the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can grow using fatty acids as the sole carbon source, it is a simple and suitable model organism for understanding the effects of trans-unsaturated fatty acids at the molecular and cellular levels. In this study, we compared the physiological effects of Δ9 cis and trans 18-carbon monoenoic fatty acids (oleic acid and elaidic acid) in yeast cells. The results obtained revealed that the two types have distinct effects on the expression of OLE1, which encodes Δ9 desaturase, and lipotoxicity in are1Δare2Δdga1Δlro1Δ and gat1Δ cells. Our results suggest that cis and trans 18-carbon monoenoic fatty acids exert different physiological effects in the regulation of gene expression and processing of excess fatty acids in yeast.