Application of Lipases to Develop Novel Acyltrnsferase Substrates

Introduction The castor plant ( Ricinus communis ) produces seed containing a unique oil that has numerous non-food applications ( 1 ). Up to 90% of the fatty acid content of the castor oil is ricinoleate (12-hydroxy oleate). Table 1 illustrates the fact that ricinoleate and its derivatives have many important industrial uses, such as lubricants, coatings, plastics and fungicides. However, castor cultivation and processing can expose workers to potent allergens and the castor meal obtained after processing to extract oil also contains the highly toxic seed protein ricin and its less toxic homologue Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA). Because of the potential for expanded use of castor oil in industrial and bio-diesel applications, it is of great interest to develop a safe castor crop, and one logical approach is through genetic engineering a commodity oilseed or a microbe. Ricinoleate is produced in castor by the action of the oleoyl-12-hydroxylase on oleate in the sn -2