Thesis (MSc (Microbiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Long chain omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are essential for the regulation of critical biological functions in humans and other mammals. Fish oil as the main dietary source of EPA holds several disadvantages and alternative sources and production processes such as microbial fermentation are increasingly being investigated. Therefore the aim of the first part of this study was to evaluate brewers’ spent grain (BSG) as substrate for the production of EPA by solid state fermentation with 29 fungal strains representing different Mortierella species. The effect of a 10% (w/w) linseed oil (LSO) supplement on EPA production was also studied. Consequently, fungal inoculated BSG was incubated at 22oC for three days to obtain optimal fungal growth, before the incubation temperature was lowered to 16oC for the following eight days. Cultures were then harvested and dried, followed by lipid extraction and analyses using gas chromatography. All the strains were found to produce EPA on BSG, while addition of the LSO improved the EPA yield of most strains. The strains which produced the highest levels of EPA on BSG supplemented with LSO were Mortierella antarctica Mo 67 and Mortierella epicladia Mo 101, which respectively produced 2.8 mg and 2.5 mg EPA per g of BSG. During the second part of the study eight Mortierella strains were used to study EPA production via solid state fermentation of sunflower press cake (SPC). Similar culture conditions and analytical methods were used as in the first part of the study. The effect of supplementing the SPC substrate with 10% (w/w) LSO was studied with regard to the supplement’s impact on EPA production and on the highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) profile of the fermented substrate. Addition of LSO improved EPA yield of most strains on SPC, leading to a reduction in the average arachidonic acid (ARA):EPA ratio from 50.68 to 3.66. The ratio of HUFA to saturated and monoenoic fatty acids, was increased significantly (t=5.75, p=0.05) by the addition of LSO, with higher desaturation levels among the 20-carbon fatty acids. Addition of LSO also had a positive effect (r = 0.9291, p = 0.001) on the relative amount of long chain fatty acids (C≥20) produced. The strains which produced the highest levels of EPA on SPC supplemented with LSO were Mortierella alpina Mo 46 and Mortierella basiparvispora Mo 88, which produced 6.4 mg and 5.8 mg EPA per g of sunflower press cake, respectively. Fungi belonging to the genus Mortierella successfully converted LSO supplemented agro-processing wastes, such as BSG and SPC, to materials containing EPA, thereby adding value to these substrates. These EPA-enriched waste substrates could eventually find applications as animal or fish feed or as a source of EPA and other HUFA for the growing omega-3 market in the neutraceutical and therapeutics industry. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Langketting omega-3 vetsure soos eikosapentaenoë suur (EPS) is noodsaaklik vir die regulasie van kritiese biologiese funksies in mense en ander soogdiere. Visolie, die mees belangrike EPS-bron in die dieet, hou verskeie nadele in en alternatiewe bronne sowel as produksie-prosesse, soos mikrobiologiese fermentasie, word dus toenemend ondersoek. Die doel van die eerste gedeelte van hierdie studie was dus om gebruikte brouersgraan (GBG) te ëvalueer as ‘n substraat vir die produksie van EPS deur soliede staat fermentasie met 29 fungus isolate wat verskillende Mortierella spesies verteenwoordig. Die uitwerking van byvoeging van 10% (m/m) lynsaadolie (LSO) op EPS-produksie is ook bepaal. Gevolglik is fungus-geïnokuleerde GBG vir drie dae by 22oC geïnkubeer om optimale fungusgroei te verkry, waarna die inkubasie temperatuur verlaag is na 16oC vir die volgende agt dae. Kulture is hierna ge-oes en gedroog, gevolg deur lipied ekstraksie en analise met behulp van gaschromatografie. Al die isolate het EPS geproduseer op die GBG substraat, terwyl byvoeging van LSO die EPS-opbrengs van die meeste isolate verbeter het. Die isolate wat die hoogste vlakke van EPS op GBG wat met LSO verryk is, geproduseer het, was Mortierella antarctica Mo 67 en Mortierella epicladia Mo 101, wat onderskeidelik 2.8 mg en 2.5 mg EPS per g GBG geproduseer het. Tydens die tweede gedeelte van die studie is agt Mortierella isolate gebruik om die produksie van EPS deur soliede staat fermentasie van sonneblom perskoek (SPK) te ondersoek. Kultuurtoestande en analitiese metodes soortgelyk aan die eerste gedeelte van die studie is gebruik. Die uitwerking van byvoeging van 10% LSO tot die SPK substraat is ondersoek met betrekking tot die impak van die byvoeging op EPS produksie asook op die profiel van hoogs onversadigde vetsure (HOVS) van die gefermenteerde substraat. Die byvoeging van LSO tot SPK het die EPS opbrengs van meeste isolate verbeter en het tot ‘n verlaging in die gemiddelde arachidoonsuur (ARS):EPS verhouding vanaf 50.69 tot 3.66 gelei. Die verhouding van HOVS tot versadigde en mono-onversadigde vetsure, is betekenisvol (t=5.75, p=0.05) verhoog deur die byvoeging van LSO, met hoër vlakke van onversadigheid onder die 20-koolstof vetsure. Byvoeging van LSO het ook ‘n positiewe uitwerking (r = 0.9291, p = 0.001) op die relatiewe aantal langketting vetsure (C≥20) gehad. Die isolate wat die hoogste vlakke van EPS geproduseer het op LSO-verrykte SPK, was Mortierella alpina Mo 46 en Mortierella basiparvispora Mo 88, wat onderskeidelik 6.4 mg en 5.8 mg EPS per g SPK geproduseer het. Fungi wat aan die genus Mortierella behoort, het LSO-verrykte agroprosesserings afvalprodukte, soos GBG en SPK, suksesvol omgeskakel na materiale wat EPS bevat, en sodoende waarde toegevoeg aan hierdie substrate. Die EPS-verrykte afvalsubstrate kan uiteindelik toepassings vind as diere- of visvoer of as bron van EPS of ander HOVS vir die groeiende omega-3 mark in die neutraseutiese en terapeutiese industrie.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are major structural components of plant chloroplast and endoplasmic reticulum membranes. Two fatty acid desaturases (designated FAD2 and FAD3) desaturate 75% of the fatty acids in the endoplasmic reticulum. The w -6 fatty acid desaturase (FAD2) may be responsible for cold acclimation response, since polyunsaturated phospholipids are important in helping maintain plant viability at lowered temperatures. To study regulation of FAD2 gene expression in cotton, a FAD2 gene was isolated from two genomic libraries using an Arabidopsis FAD2 hybridization probe and a cotton FAD2 5¢ -flanking region gene-specific probe, respectively. A cotton FAD2 gene was found to be in two overlapping genomic clones by physical mapping and DNA sequencing. The cloned DNA fragments are identical in size to cotton FAD2 genomic DNA fragments shown by genomic blot hybridization. The cotton FAD2 coding region has 1,155 bp with no introns and would encode a putative polypeptide of 384 amino acids. The cotton FAD2 enzyme has a high identity of 75% with other plant FAD2 enzymes. The enzyme has three histidine-rich motifs that are conserved in all plant membrane desaturases. These histidine boxes may be the iron-binding domains for reduction of oxygen during desaturation. To confirm that this FAD2 enzyme is functional, a plasmid construct containing the cotton FAD2 coding region was transformed into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The transformed yeast cells were able to catalyze the conversion of oleic acid (C18:1) into linoleic acid (C18:2). The FAD2 gene contains an intron of 2,967 bp in its 5¢ -flanking region, 11 bp upstream from the initiation codon. The intron could be essential for transcriptional regulation of FAD2 gene expression. Several putative promoter elements occur in the 5¢ -flanking region of this gene. A potential TATA basal promoter element occurs at 41 bp upstream from the cap site. Two presumptive helix-loop-helix (bHLH) motifs that may be seed-specific promoter elements are located at 109 bp and 135 bp upstream from the potential cap site.

Aumento nos níveis circulantes de alguns ácidos graxos (AGs) está relacionado com o quadro de resistência à insulina em músculo esquelético. Os mecanismos pelos quais os AGs diminuem a ação da insulina não estão elucidados, entretanto a participação destas biomoléculas no controle do NF-kB, SREBP-1c, HIF-1<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945;, LXR<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945; e PPARg considerados reguladores do Slc2a4, já foi sugerida. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a ação dos ácidos graxos, oléico (OFA) e linoléico (LFA), em células musculares L6, na regulação do Slc2a4. Redução no conteúdo protéico e de mRNA GLUT4 foi verificada na presença de ambos AGs. Esta redução foi relacionada com aumento na expressão e na atividade de ligação do NF-kB e diminuição na expressão e na atividade de ligação do SREBP-1 ao gene Slc2a4, na presença de OFA e LFA. Ambos AGs aumentaram a expressão do mRNA de LXR<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945;, PPARg and HIF-1<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945;, todavia apenas na presença de LFA foi detectada uma diminuição na ligação de PPARg ao Slc2a4. Ambos AGs reduzem a expressão do GLUT4 devido modulação da ligação do NF-kB e SREBP-1 ao gene Slc2a4. / High elevated levels of some free fatty acids (FFAs) are associated with insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. The mechanisms by which FFAs impair this hormone sensitivity need to be clarified; nevertheless, its effects in the modulation of NF-kB, SREBP-1c, HIF-1<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945;, LXR<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945; and PPARg which are related with Slc2a4 gene regulation have been suggested. The goal of this study was to investigate the action of oleic (OFA) and linoleic (LFA) fatty acids, in L6 muscle cells, in Slc2a4 regulation. The GLUT4 protein and mRNA expression decreased in the presence of OFA and LFA. The reduced GLUT4 expression was related to a significative enhancement of the NFkappaB mRNA expression and binding activity in presence of both FFAs and a decrease of SREBP-1 mRNA and binding activity in the Slc2a4. OFA and LFA increase LXR<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945;, PPARg and HIF-1<font face=\"Symbol\">&#945; mRNA expression, but only a reduction in PPARg binding activity was verified in presence of the LFA. A reduction in GLUT4 expression in the presence of OFA and LFA was detected and related with NF-kB and SREBP-1 binding activity in the Slc2a4 gene.

Periodontitis is an infective disease caused predominantly by gram negative anaerobic bacteria. However it is apparent that alveolar bone loss, which characterises periodontitis, is a result of the host inflammatory response to pathogenic bacteria, not the infectious agents directly. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (O-3 PUFAs) are recognised, and used widely, for their anti-inflammatory effects. Evidence is emerging that their oxygenated derivatives are key chemical mediators in the resolution of inflammation. We hypothesised that dietary supplementation with fish oil rich in the O-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid would modify inflammatory reactions within the periodontium and thus reduce alveolar bone loss in mice infected with periodontopathic bacteria. Eighty mice were fed experimental diets containing either 10% tuna oil (40) or a sunola oil (40) which contained no traceable O-3 PUFAs for 57 days. After two weeks each dietary set was split into four groups of ten mice, with these groups being inoculated with either a) Porphyromas gingivalis b) P. gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum (combined inoculum) c) Carboxymethylcellulose (control) or d) No inoculations (control). Of the twenty mice which received no inoculations, half were sacrificed after fifteen days and half at the end of the experiment to enable comparative fatty acid analysis of the oral soft tissues. Results demonstrated that eicosapentoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were found in significantly higher proportions in the oral soft tissues of mice fed a tuna oil diet, and that animals receiving this diet exhibited an average of 54 - 72% less alveolar bone resorption in response to the different bacterial infections. Irrespective of diet, the combined inoculum resulted in slightly more alveolar resorption than P. gingivalis alone. The findings of this study suggest that fish oil dietary supplementation may have potential benefits as a host modulatory agent in the adjunctive management of periodontitis. Given its advantages in terms of safety, cost effectiveness and widespread availability, this dietary supplement warrants further research in human trials to assess its ability to modulate alveolar bone loss in individuals with periodontitis. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1313252 / Thesis (D.Clin.Dent.) - University of Adelaide, School of Dentistry (Periodontics), 2008

Inflammation is the body's response to injury and is characterized by pain, swelling, redness, and heat. Eicosanoids are lipid mediators of inflammation. Leukotrienes (LT) are 20-carbon eicosanoids produced from arachidonic acid (AA), an n-6 fatty acid (FA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an n-3 FA. LT produced from AA are proinflammatory (LTB₄) and those produced from EPA (LTB₅) are less inflammatory. Two experiments were conducted. The objective of the first experiment was to optimize the assay conditions for LT production by platelets from chickens, and neutrophils from horses and dogs. Optimal production of LT from equine and canine neutrophils and chicken platelets was characterized in terms of incubation time (2.5, 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes), temperature (25 or 37°C), and calcium ionophore A23187 concentration (0.1, 1, 10 or 20 μM). In all species, incubation at 37°C resulted in optimal LTB₄ production compared to 25°C (p≤0.05). Production of LTB₄ was maximum when neutrophils were stimulated with 20 μM calcium ionophore A23187 in all species (p≤0.05). Incubation times greater than 2.5 minutes did not further increase LTB₄ production in chickens and horses; in dogs, incubation for 2.5 and 10 minutes resulted in the highest concentrations of LTB₄ (p≤0.05). These results indicate that platelets from chickens, and neutrophils from horses and dogs, are capable of producing LTB₄; optimum conditions for LTB₄ production are similar in all three species. In the second study, the effect of feeding diets that differed in n-6 and n-3 FA ratios to breeder hens was investigated with regard to changes in composition of immune tissue, alteration of delayed-type-hypersensitivity (DTH) response, and LT production by platelets. Chicks hatched to hens fed these diets were also studied with regard to fatty acid composition of immune tissues and LT production by platelets at various stages of growth (7, 14, 21 days). A total of 72 breeder hens were randomly divided into three groups (n=24) and fed diets supplemented with either 3.0% (by weight) sunflower oil (SF0; rich in n-6 FA; Diet I), a mixture of 1.5% SF0 and 1.5% fish oil (Diet II), or 3.0% fish oil (FO; rich in n-3 FA; Diet III). Production of LTB₄ and LTB₅ by platelets stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187 were assessed by RP-HPLC. The hens fed Diet I synthesized 43.9 ± 2.5 ng of LTB₄ per 5x10⁶ cells compared to 13.3 ± 0.9 ng of LTB₄ from hens fed Diet II (p≤0.05). However, no LTB₄ was produced by hens fed Diet III. Production of LTB₅ by platelets of hens fed Diet III was 36.7 ± 4.9 ng compared to 47.4 ± 5.7 ng of LTB₅ from hens fed Diet II. No LTB₅ was produced by hens fed Diet I. The DTH reaction was smaller at 48 hrs post injection of bovine serum albumin in hens fed the 3% FO Diet III (p≤0.05). Fatty acid composition spleen and platelets in hens reflected the fatty acid composition of diets consumed by them (p≤0.05). Hatched chicks from hens fed Diet I produced significantly less LTB₄ at 14 days (p≤0.05) compared to 7- and 21-day-old chicks, which were not different from each other. Chicks from hens fed Diet II produced more LTB₄ at 21 days (p≤0.05) compared chicks from hens fed Diet III produced more LTB₄ at 7 and 21 days (p≤0.05) compared to 14-day-old chicks. There were no significant differences in LTB₅ production from chicks hatched to hens fed Diet III at 7 and 14 days of growth. By 21 days of growth, chicks hatched to hens fed Diet III showed decreased production of LTB₅ compared to 7- and 14-day-old chicks. The spleen and bursa tissue fatty acid composition in chicks at 7 and 14 days of age were similar to the maternal diet fatty acid composition, however, there were no significant differences in platelet fatty acid composition between the groups at different stages of growth. These results indicate that the type of fat in diets fed to breeder hens may alter the inflammatory response in hatched chicks, which could lead to less mortality and increased production performance in poultry. / Graduation date: 2005

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease of multi-complications affecting more than 20 million US adults. Hyperglycemia is the classic clinical feature of diabetes, and uncontrolled hyperglycemia leads to deadly health complications. Thus, control of blood glucose represents a major goal for diabetics. Human and rodent studies revealed another clinical feature; diabetics have low tissue and plasma levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), an effect often attributed by impaired endogenous PUFA synthesis. In this context, rodent studies have revealed a possible link between PUFA synthesis and high fat diet induced obesity and diabetes. These studies have shown that obese and diabetic mice have low hepatic expression and activity of fatty acid elongase-5 (Elovl5), a key enzyme involved in the PUFA synthesis pathway. Over-expression of Elovl5 in livers of chow fed C57BL/6J mice decreased fasting blood glucose and increased hepatic glycogen contents. Therefore, my hypothesis for the current work is that elevated hepatic Elovl5 activity or improved hepatic PUFA synthesis will improve systemic and hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in a mouse model of diet induced obesity and diabetes. Using a recombinant adenovirus approach, we over-expressed Elovl5 in livers of high fat diets (60% calories derived from fat as lard, Research Diets) induced obese-diabetic mice. Elevated hepatic Elovl5 activity increased hepatic and plasma C��������������� PUFA contents, reduced homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), improved glucose tolerance and lowered fasting blood glucose to euglycemic levels in obese-diabetic mice. The mechanism for insulin mimetic effect of Elovl5 on hepatic glucose metabolism was correlated with increased phosphorylation of Akt-S��������, FoxO1-S�������� and PP2Acat-Y��������, decreased nuclear content of FoxO1, and decreased expression of Pck1 and G6Pase; important enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis (GNG) and glucose production. Phospho-FoxO1 is excluded from nuclei, ubiquitinated and degraded by the proteasome. Loss of nuclear FoxO1, due to its increased phosphorylation, leads to the reduction in the expression of key genes involved in gluconeogenesis, i.e., Pck1 and G6Pase. Using obese-diabetic mice liver extracts and HepG2 cells, I established that Elovl5 uses two mechanisms to control hepatic GNG. The first mechanism involves Elovl5 mediated increased Akt2-S�������� and FoxO1-S�������� phosphorylation via mTORC2-rictor pathway. The second mechanism involves Elovl5 mediated attenuation of de-phosphorylation of FoxO1 via PP2A inhibition. Together, these mechanisms increase FoxO1 phosphorylation status in livers of fasted obese-diabetic mice, lower hepatic FoxO1 nuclear abundance and FoxO1 capacity to sustain transcription of GNG genes and inhibit GNG and restore blood glucose levels in fasted obese-diabetic mice. Results of these studies showed Elovl5 corrected high fat diet induced hyperglycemia in C57BL/6J mice, identified the molecular mechanism of Elovl5 control of GNG and explained how Elovl5 or PUFA synthesis controls GNG. Therefore, these findings will be eventually helpful in developing a therapeutic target to combat hyperglycemia. / Graduation date: 2013 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from July 27, 2012 - July 27, 2013

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 183 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-94). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-94). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 144-173.