Molecular cloning of fatty acid synthase from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and the regulation of its expression by dietary fat level

The fatty acid synthase (FAS) gene was cloned from liver of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) by degenerate oligonucleotide primed PCR. The obtained cDNA fragment was 683 bp, which encoded 227 amino acids. Then, grass carps with initial body weight of (134.89 ± 12.12) g were fed diet supplemented with 0, 20, 40 g kg^?1 fat to investigate the impacts of dietary fat levels on growth, liver FAS enzyme activity and mRNA expression. After 8 weeks feeding, final body weights of the three groups were 344.11, 347.23 and 373.02 g. Compared with control group (0 g kg^?1), growth rate of 40 g kg^?1 fat group was increased by 14.03%, and feed conversion rate decreased by 11.32% (P < 0.05), liver FAS enzyme activity of 20, 40 g kg^?1 fat groups were reduced by 33%, 64% (P < 0.05), and FAS mRNA expression level reduced by 18%, 74% (P < 0.05), respectively. Results above showed that 40 g kg^?1 fat addition can significantly improve growth performance of grass carp. Liver FAS activity and mRNA expression tended to be inhibited by the increasing dietary fat level. Fat containing high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids had strongly inhibitory effects on liver FAS activity and gene expression.