We have isolated the fatty acid biosynthetic (fab) gene cluster taking part in the synthesis of middle-chain fatty acids and a genomic segment which was homologous with the eicosapentaenoic acid-biosynthetic gene cluster from the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-producing bacterium Moritella marina strain MP-1. This segment was presumed to include the DHA-biosynthetic gene cluster of M. marina strain MP-1. When M. marina strain MP-1 was cultured in medium containing cerulenin, a fatty acid synthesis inhibitor, decreases in levels of middle-chain fatty acids and remarkable increases in levels of DHA were observed. These results suggest that the synthesis of middle-chain fatty acids works independently of the synthesis of DHA.

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Two types of self-repairing coatings for the protection of Al and its alloys are reviewed: (1) organic coatings with capsules containing repairing agent and (2) porous anodic oxide films with inhibitor solution stored in the pores of the oxide film. First, polyurethane microcapsules containing liquid surface-repairing agents were synthesized and polyurethane coating with the capsules was painted on Al alloy specimens. After mechanical damage to the coating, self-repairing occurred by the reaction of water vapor in the air with the repairing agents released from the capsules. Second, porous-type anodic oxide films were formed on Al alloys, and the pores of the anodic oxide films were filled with inhibitor solutions, followed by application of a covering polyurethane layer. Inhibitors released from the pores efficiently protected the Al alloy substrate from corrosion arising from induced mechanical damage.

Self-healing coatings with capsules containing healing agents have been developed for the corrosion protection of metal. In this paper, polyurethane capsules were synthesized under different conditions to examine the size and shape of capsules, and selfhealing ability of coatings with capsules dispersed was examined after damaging the coated layer by scratching with a cutter blade.The size and shape of capsules depended on the concentration of chlorobenzene in cyclohexanone used as a solvent of prepolymer solution. The capsule formed with 70 % of chlorobenzene gave a self-healing capability to the coated layer by releasing the healing agent after damaging. The amount of glycerol added for the formation of the polyurethane capsule shell affected the self-healing ability of the coated layer. The coating with the capsule formed with small amounts of glycerol showed a high healing ability, while, with large amounts of glycerol, the selfhealing ability was relatively low.