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Transgenic Mice Convert Carbohydrates to Essential Fatty Acids

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2014

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Public Library of Science
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Pai, Victor J., Bin Wang, Xiangyong Li, Lin Wu, and Jing X. Kang. 2014. “Transgenic Mice Convert Carbohydrates to Essential Fatty Acids.” PLoS ONE 9 (5): e97637. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0097637. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097637.

Abstract

Transgenic mice (named “Omega mice”) were engineered to carry both optimized fat-1 and fat-2 genes from the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans and are capable of producing essential omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids from saturated fats or carbohydrates. When maintained on a high-saturated fat diet lacking essential fatty acids or a high-carbohydrate, no-fat diet, the Omega mice exhibit high tissue levels of both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, with a ratio of ∼1∶1. This study thus presents an innovative technology for the production of both omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, as well as a new animal model for understanding the true impact of fat on human health.

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Biology and Life Sciences, Agriculture, Agricultural Biotechnology, Genetically Modified Organisms, Biochemistry, Lipids, Fats, Fatty Acids, Lipid Metabolism, Metabolism, Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering, Transgenic Engineering, Model Organisms, Animal Models, Mouse Models

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Transgenic Mice Convert Carbohydrates to Essential… : DASH Story 2015-06-28
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