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The delta 6 desaturase of rat liver can accommodate substrates with a wide range of chain length. delta 9-cis, 12-cis-Dienoic acids of chain lengths 14-22 carbon atoms were all desaturated at the delta 6 position by microsmal preparations from rat liver. By contrast, the delta 5 desaturase appeared much more chain-length sensitive. The percentage delta 5 desaturation of a series of delta 8-cis- and delta 9-trans-monoenoic acids increased with increasing chain length (from C16 to C20).
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Pollard et al. (1980) studied this question.
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