Saturated fatty acids are known to be the precursors of unsaturated fatty acids in higher
organisms. However, the control mechanisms that govern the conversion of saturated to
unsaturated fatty acids are largely unexplored. The balance of these fatty acids forms the
composition of stored triacylglycerides and impacts on the physical properties of
membranes. Regulation of unsaturated fatty acids is also important because they play a role
in cellular activity, metabolism and nuclear events that govern gene transcription. A critical …