Functional characterisation of two Δ12-desaturases demonstrates targeted production of linoleic acid as pheromone precursor inNasonia

Insect pheromones are often derived from fatty acid metabolism. Fatty acid desaturases, enzymes introducing double bonds into fatty acids, are crucial for the biosynthesis of these chemical signals. Δ12-desaturases catalyse the biosynthesis of linoleic acid by introducing a second double bond into oleic acid, but have been identified in only few animal species. Here we report the functional characterisation of two Δ12- desaturases, Nvit_D12a and...