FAD2 — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT3G12120 (FAD2) in Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a fatty acid desaturase with omega-6 fatty acid desaturase, delta12 fatty acid acetylenase, omega-3 fatty acid desaturase, and acyl-CoA (9+3)-desaturase activities, functioning as an acyl-lipid omega-6 desaturase (cytochrome b5). This endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein is associated with unsaturated fatty acid anabolism, lipid homeostasis, membrane biogenesis, and the ER stress response. FAD2 has been linked to oleic acid content, linoleic acid content, and alpha-linolenic acid content, as well as salt tolerance, resistance to Botrytis cinerea, and aphid resistance. It is also connected to seed maturation, seed oil composition, temperature stress responses, water use efficiency, chlorophyll content, xanthophyll content, quantum yield, photochemical quenching, stomatal resistance, and plant growth and development traits. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to seed oil composition and temperature stress resistance.