Engineering docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in Brassica juncea.

Omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 LC-PUFAs) such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are important for human health. Sub-optimal levels of ω3 LC-PUFAs are associated with increased risk of several diseases (Ghasemi Fard et al., 2019). Docosapentaenoic acid (ω3-DPA, C22:5) is a rare LC-PUFA but of special interest because of its unique properties (Drouin et al., 2019, Kaur et al., 2013). Multiple studies showed direct effects of DPA on inflammation, improved plasma lipid profile and cognitive function (Ghasemi Fard et al., 2021). The principal sources of DPA are wild oceanic fish species. However, DPA is not currently available in sufficient quantities for commercial production. An inexpensive and sustainable supply of this important ω3 fatty acid is highly desirable to conduct large scale human intervention studies to examine the role of ω3-DPA in relation to optimal health.