(A) Roadmap for the conversion of essential fatty acids from non-essential nutrients in Omega mice. In mammals, carbohydrates can be converted to SFA, and SFA can be converted into MUFA by SCD-1. Introduction of the fat-2 and fat-1 transgenes allows mammals to further convert MUFA into n-6 PUFA, and n-6 PUFA into n-3 PUFA, respectively. (B) Validation of fat-1 and fat-2 transgene expression in wild-type (WT), fat-2, and Omega mouse littermates by PCR. (C) Partial gas chromatograph traces showing the fatty acid profiles of total lipids extracted from skeletal muscles of a wild-type mouse (WT, upper panel), a fat-2 transgenic mouse (Fat-2, middle panel), and an Omega transgenic mouse (Omega, lower panel). All mice were 10-week-old males and fed with the same diet high in SFA and carbohydrates and low in n-6 PUFA. (D) Quantification of PUFA from muscle tissue of WT, fat-2, and Omega mice (left). For significance values, refer to
Table 1
and Table S2. Comparison of the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio among the phenotypes (right). Values expressed as mean ± s.d. (n = 3 per group; *P<0.05, **P<0.01).