Evolution of Linoleic Acid Biosynthesis Paved the Way for Ecological Success of Termites

0571248 - ÚOCHB 2024 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Macháček, Stanislav - Tupec, Michal - Horáček, Natan - Halmová, Martina - Roy, A. - Machara, Aleš - Kyjaková, Pavlína - Lukšan, Ondřej - Pichová, Iva - Hanus, Robert
Evolution of Linoleic Acid Biosynthesis Paved the Way for Ecological Success of Termites.
Molecular Biology and Evolution. Roč. 40, č. 4 (2023), č. článku msad087. ISSN 0737-4038. E-ISSN 1537-1719
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA20-17194S
Institutional support: RVO:61388963
Keywords : fatty acyl desaturases * linoleic acid * biosynthesis * termites * Isoptera * Blattodea
OECD category: Biology (theoretical, mathematical, thermal, cryobiology, biological rhythm), Evolutionary biology
Impact factor: 10.7, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msad087

Linoleic acid (LA) is a precursor for many vital biomolecules, and most animals must acquire it from nutrition. Here, we describe that termites are liberated from the dependence on LA dietary supply, because they evolved a Δ12 FAD fatty acyl desaturase converting oleic acid into LA. We conclude that we identified an evolutionary event important for the ecological success of termites, which took place in their cockroach ancestors roughly 160 My and remained conserved throughout termite diversification into 3,000 extant species.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0342521


Research data: NCBI BioProject, NCBI GenBank, NCBI GenBank