Temperature stress: reacting and adapting: lessons from poikilotherms.

Acanthamoeba castellanii (A. castellanii) is a common soil- or water-borne protozoon that feeds on bacteria by phagocytosis. A. castellanii can grow between 4 and 32 degrees C and has to adapt quickly to chilling in order to survive. We have identified a Delta12-fatty acid desaturase as key to low temperature adaptation. The activity of this enzyme is mainly increased through gene expression and new protein synthesis. Interestingly, the activity can also be altered independently by dissolved oxygen levels. In addition, we have identified a gene for the Delta12-desaturase, which, when expressed in yeast, catalyses Delta15-desaturation also. Moreover, it is also capable of producing very unusual n-1 polyunsaturated products.