Regulation of yeast fatty acid desaturase in response to iron deficiency

Unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) are essential components of phospholipids that greatly contribute to the biophysical properties of cellular membranes. Biosynthesis of UFAs relies on a conserved family of iron-dependent fatty acid desaturases, whose representative in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is Ole1. OLE1 expression is tightly regulated to adapt UFA biosynthesis and lipid bilayer properties to changes in temperature, and in UFA or oxygen availability. Despite iron deficiency being the most extended nutritional disorder worldwide, very little is known about the mechanisms and the biological relevance of fatty acid desaturases regulation in response to iron starvation. In this re…