Oils, lipids and fatty acids produced in transgenic brassica plant

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing eicosapentanoic acid, docosapentanoic acid and/or docohexanoic acid in transgenic plants. According to said method, the plant is provided with at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for a polypetide with a Δ6 desaturase activity, at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for a polypeptide with a Δ6 elongase activity, at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for a polypeptide with a Δ5 desaturase activity, and at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for a polypeptide with a Δ5 elongase activity, the nucleic acid sequence coding for a polypeptide with a Δ5 elongase activity being modified in relation to the nucleic acid sequence in the organism from which the sequence originates, such that it is adapted to the codon use in at least one type of plant. For the production of docosahexanoic acid, at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for a polypeptide with a Δ4 desaturase activity is also introduced into the plant.

1 . A fatty acid mixture produced by a transgenic  Brassica  plant, said fatty acid mixture comprising 30% to 80% by weight of esterified polyunsaturated fatty acids, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acids comprise a total amount of 15% to 30% by weight of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) based on the total fatty acids in the fatty acid mixture in the form of triacylglycerides. 
     
     
         2 . A fatty acid mixture produced by a transgenic  Brassica  plant, said fatty acid mixture comprising at least 60% by weight of esterified polyunsaturated fatty acids, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acids comprise a total amount of 15% to 30% by weight of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) based on the total fatty acids in the fatty acid mixture in the form of triacylglycerides. 
     
     
         3 . The fatty acid mixture of  claim 2 , wherein the fatty acid mixture comprises at least 70% by weight of esterified polyunsaturated fatty acids. 
     
     
         4 . The fatty acid mixture of  claim 2 , wherein the fatty acid mixture comprises at least 80% by weight of esterified polyunsaturated fatty acids.