Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) play an important role for the regulation of various biological reactions and maintenance of cell homeostasis as a major component of membrane lipids and also exert numerous beneficial functions as bioactive substances and their precursors. For further application of multi-functional PUFA as foods, medicals and materials, molecular mechanism for biosynthesis of PUFA was investigated by identification and elucidation of molecular action of fatty acid desaturases and elongases in mammal and fungus, a physiological function of PUFA was studied in allergic mouse model, and potential of new PUFA-producing microorganisms was examined for industrial use.
