The document discusses omega-3 fatty acids, their types, sources, and significance. It focuses on omega-3 in linseed (flaxseed), which contains high levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Breeding programs aim to develop linseed varieties with even higher omega-3 content. Genetic engineering has produced linseed with additional long-chain omega-3s. High omega-3 intake provides many health benefits such as reducing the risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and mental disorders.

1. Presented By
SATYAPAL SINGH
Ph.D Student
(Genetics and Plant Breeding)
Doctoral Seminar

2. CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Types
 Structure
 Composition in linseed
 Source of omega-3
 Breeding
 Significance of omega-3

3. Introduction
 Omega-3 and omega-6 are types of essential fatty acids
 Both are polyunsaturated fatty acids that differ from each
other in their chemical structure
 Two critical omega-3 fatty acids, (eicosapentaenoic acid,
called EPA and docosahexaenoic or DHA)
 Flaxseeds contain a precursor omega-3
 Highest in Short Chain Fatty Acids ALA needs to be
converted into the long chain fatty acids EPA and DHA to
be of any use for your body.
 EPA and DHA are the building blocks for hormones that
control immune function, blood clotting, and cell growth as
well as components of cell membranes.

4.  Omega-3 FA’s are polyunsaturated, meaning they contain more
than one double bond
 They are called omega-3 because the first double bond counting
from the methyl end of the fatty acid is located at the third
carbon atom
Omega-3 Fatty Acids

5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Types
Alpha – linolenic
acid (ALA)
Eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA)
Docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA)
Available in Linseed
Human consumption

6. Alpha-linolenic Acid
 Humans can synthesize other omega-3 fatty
acids from ALA:
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): 20:5n-3
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): 22:6n-3
 These two are usually referred to as marine-
derived omega-3 fatty acids because they are
abundant in certain species of fish
 Whereas, ALA is considered a plant-derived
omega-3 fatty acid

7. hydrogen.
hydrogen 1.)
:
oil.
Chemical and Physical
Structure of Fatty Acids
One of the simplest fats is butyric acid—found in butter. All fats
have a COOH acid at the beginning of the chain, also known as the
"alpha" end. The opposite end is called the omega (following the
Greek alphabet, which begins with alpha and ends with omega).

8. OMEGA-3
OMEGA-6

9. PBRC 2005
Structures of the Omega-3
Fatty Acids

11. Fatty Acid Pathways

12. Desaturation, elongation, and retroconversion of
omega-6 and omega-3

13. HUFA are Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids
with 20- and 22-carbon & 3 or more double bonds
Linoleic acid (18:2n-6) LA α-Linolenic acid (18:3n-3) ALA
OMEGA-6 OMEGA-3
Corn oil
Sesame oil
Soybean oil
Flax oil
Canola oil
Arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) AA Eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) EPA
DPA (22:5n-6) Docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3) DHA
Meat
Organs
Fish
Seafood
Dihomo-γ -linolenate (20:3n-6) DGLA
Adrenic Acid (22:4n-6) DPA (22:5n-3)
The Context is Competition
Neurite health

14. Fatty Acid Composition of Flax Oil
Percent of total fatty acids
Saturated fatty acids 9%
Monounsaturated 18%
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids 57%
Omega-6 fatty acids 16%

15. Alpha-linolenic acid: Sources
Food Serving Alpha-linolenic acid
(g)
Flaxseed oil 1 tablespoon 8.5
Walnuts, English 1 ounce 2.6
Flaxseeds 1 tablespoon 2.2
Walnut Oil 1 tablespoon 1.4
Canola Oil 1 tablespoon 1.2
Mustard Oil 1 tablespoon 0.8
Soybean Oil 1 tablespoon 0.9
Walnuts, Black 1 ounce 0.6
Olive Oil 1 tablespoon 0.1
Broccoli, raw 1 cup, chopped 0.1

16. Food Serving EPA (g) DHA (g) Amt providing 1 g
of EPA + DHA
Herring, Pacific, cooked 3 ounces 1.06 0.75 1.5 ounces
Salmon, Chinook, cooked 3 ounces 0.86 0.62 2 ounces
Salmon, Atlantic, cooked 3 ounces 0.28 0.95 2.5 ounces
Oysters, Pacific, cooked 3 ounces 0.75 0.43 2.5 ounces
Salmon, sockeye, cooked 3 ounces 0.45 0.60 3 ounces
Trout, rainbow, cooked 3 ounces 0.40 0.44 3.5 ounces
Tuna, white, packed in water 3 ounces 0.20 0.54 4 ounces
Crab, Dungeness, cooked 3 ounces 0.24 0.10 9 ounces
Shrimp, cooked 3 ounces 0.15 0.12 11 ounces
Cod, Pacific, cooked 3 ounces 0.09 0.15 12.5 ounces
Fish oil, menhaden 1 gram 0.13 0.09 5 grams
Fish oil, salmon 1 gram 0.13 0.18 3 grams
EPA and DHA: Sources

17. Linseed oil possesses a very healthy fatty acid profile,
particularly, Omega-3 (Alpha Linolenic Acid), richest source
only in linseed (58%). The botanical name of flax is Linum
usitatissimum of the family Linaceae. Flax is a versatile,
blue-flowered crop.

18. Breeding methods
 Hybridization
 Selection
 Mutation
Biotechnology Tools
 Marker assisted Selection
 Genetic Engineering

19. Breeding objective in linseed
Development of high yielding varieties with high oil
content for rainfed conditions.
Development of short duration varieties (90-100 days).
Development of Linseed varieties resistance to bud
fly, wilt and rust.
Value addition and product diversification for
pharmaceutical and neutraceuticals purpose.

20. Genetic improvement of flax for oil
and agronomic traits
 Generating Comprehensive Genomics resource base.
 Molecular marker development and exploitation.
 Exploring fatty acid synthesis and other nutritional
aspects of flax.
 Molecular genetics of genes associated with important
traits.
 Application of genomic and molecular tools in flax
improvement.

21. Major Breeding Program
 Efficiencies of some vitamins in improving yield and quality of
flax plant
 Gene expression analysis of flax seed development
Genetic modification of linseed produces healthier Omega-3
and omega-6 fatty acid.
The application of chemical mutagenesis and Biotechnology to
the modification of Linseed.
Comparative analysis of regenerative ability in Linseed and fiber
flax cultivars
 functional expression of a humanized gene for an omega-3 fatty
acid desaturation from scarlet flax in transfected bovine
adipocytes and bovine embroyos cloned from the cells.

22. Functional expression of a humanized gene for an
omega-3 fatty acid desaturase from scarlet flax in
transfected bovine adipocytes and bovine embryos
cloned from the cells.
 Introduced a plant fatty acid desaturation3 (FAD3) gene
into mammalian cells
 Produced bovine cloned embryos from the hFAD3 cells by
somatic cell nuclear transfer
 hFAD3 transcripts were detected in all of the blastocysts
 These results demonstrate the functional expression of a
plant hFAD3 in mammalian adipocytes, and normal
development of cloned embryos carrying the hFAD3 gene.

23. Genetic modification of linseed produces
healthier Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid.
 The University of Hamburg (Germany) and colleagues succeeded
in producing genetically modified linseed plants that accumulate
significant levels of very long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids
(PUFA) in seed.
 This research is an excellent example of how genetic engineering
of agronomically important species can provide real benefits to
human health and nutrition and the environment.
 First, protein sequences for fatty acyl desaturases and elongases
were analyzed from a variety of organisms that produce very long-
chain PUFA, including a fungus, alga, moss, nematode and
another plant (Borago officinalis). DNA coding sequences for
these genes were then introduced into linseed

24. Objective for Omega-3(NulinTM )

29. Breeding achievement
SOLIN (Canada) 1986
LINOLA (Australia) 1990
NuLIN (Canada)2007

30. Sr. No. Varieties Omega 3 (%)
1 SLS-61 62
2 JLS 58
3 LC-2279-4 55.6
4 R-552 52 (lignan-79%)
5 RLC-112 49
Source:- AICRP linseed, IGKV, RAIPUR
Linseed Verities (Rich in Omega-3)

32. Significance of Omega-3
 High Cholesterol
 High Blood Pressure
 Heart Disease
 Stroke
 Diabetes
 Cancer
 Osteoporosis

33. High Blood Pressure
 Studies say that diets rich
in omega-3 fatty acids
lower blood pressure
significantly.

34. Heart Disease
 EPA and DHA help reduce
risk factors for heart disease.
 These substances can help
prevent and treat
atherosclerosis by inhibiting
the development of plaque
and blood clots, each of
which tends to clog arteries.

35. Stroke
 Omega-3 fatty acids prevents
stroke by plaque buildup and
blood clots in the arteries
that lead to the brain.
 Eating at least 2 servings of
fish per week can reduce the
risk of stroke by at least 50%.

36. Diabetes
 People with diabetes
tend to have high
triglyceride and low HDL
levels.
 By eating fish or taking
supplements with
Omega-3 fatty acids, it
will lower triglycerides
and raise HDL levels.

37. Some more uses:
 Mental Disorders
 Weight Loss
 Eating Disorders
 Macular Degeneration
 Skin Disorders
 Arthritis