Patent ID: 7700320

Claim:
A genetically modified Thraustochytriales microorganism with reduced production of short chain fatty acids, wherein the microorganism's fatty acid synthase gene or portion thereof encoding a functional domain has been genetically modified, to selectively attenuate a fatty acid synthase gene wherein the fatty acid synthase gene comprises a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: a) a nucleic acid sequence encoding SEQ ID NO:2; and b) a nucleic acid sequence encoding an amino acid sequence that is at least 85% identical to SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the protein having the amino acid sequence has a biological activity selected from the group consisting of acetyl-transferase (AT) activity; enoyl ACP reductase (ER) activity; dehydrase (DH) activity; malonyl/palmitoyl acyltransferase (M/PAT) activity; a first acyl carrier protein (ACP) activity; a second acyl carrier protein (ACP) activity; keto-acyl ACP reductase (KR) activity; keto-acyl ACP synthase (KS) activity; and phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPT) activity.