Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) Biosynthetic Gene Cluster of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1: Cloning, Heterologous Expression, and Effects of Temperature and Glucose on the Production of EPA in Escherichia coli

The putative EPA synthesis gene cluster was mined from the entire genome sequence of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The gene cluster encodes a PKS-like pathway that consists of six open reading frames (ORFs): ORFSO1602 (multi-domain beta-ketoacyl synthase, KS-MAT-4ACPs-KR), ORFSO1600 (acyl transferase, AT), ORFSO1599 (multi-domain beta-ketoacyl synthase, KS-CLF-DH-DH), ORFSO1597 (enoyl reductase, ER), ORFSO1604 (phosphopentetheine transferase, PPT), and ORFSO1603 (transcriptional regulator). In order to prove involvement of the PKS-like machinery in EPA synthesis, a 20.195-kb DNA fragment containing the genes was amplified from S. oneidensis MR-1 by the long-PCR method. Its identity was confirmed by the methods of restriction enzyme site mapping and nested PCR of internal genes orfSO1597 and orfSO1604. The DNA fragment was cloned into Escherichia coli using cosmid vector SuperCos1 to form pCosEPA. Synthesis of EPA was observed in four E. coli clones harboring pCosEPA, of which the maximum yield was 0.689% of the total fatty acids in a clone designated 9704-23. The production yield of EPA in the E. coli clone was affected by cultivation temperature, showing maximum yield at $20^{\circ}C$ and no production at $30^{\circ}C$ or higher. In addition, production yield was inversely proportional to glucose concentration of the cultivation medium. From the above results, it was concluded that the PKS-like modules catalyze the synthesis of EPA. The synthetic process appears to be subject to regulatory mechanisms triggered by various environmental factors. This most likely occurs via the control of gene expression, protein stability, or enzyme activity.