ARS | Publication request: Hydroxylation and Epoxidation of Fatty Acids by Bacillus megaterium ALA2

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings/Symposium
Publication Acceptance Date: September 15, 2006
Publication Date: October 21, 2006
Citation: Hou, C.T. 2006. Hydroxylation and Epoxidation of Fatty Acids by Bacillus megaterium ALA2. In: Proceedings of 35th UJNR Food and Agriculture Panel Meeting, October 21-28, 2006, Rohnert Park, California. p. BT1-5.

Technical Abstract: Bacillus megaterium ALA2 produces many new oxygenated fatty acids from linoleic acid. Strain ALA2 hydroxylated palmitic acid to omega-1, omega-2, and omega-3 hydroxy palmitate. Now we found that strain ALA2 also epoxidized linoleic acid to 12,13-epoxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid and 9,10-epoxy-12(Z)-octadecenoic acid. The epoxidation activity of strain ALA2 was compared with the well-studied catalytically self-sufficient P450 monooxygenase of B. megaterium ATCC 14581 (NRRL B-3712), and B. subtilis strain 168 (NRRL B-4219) and found that their oxidation products were identical indicating that their monooxygenase systems (both hydroxylation and epoxidation) are similar. The ratio of the epoxy fatty acids produced by these three strains, strain ALA2: NRRL B-3712: NRRL B-4219 were: for 12,13-epoxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid 5.56: 0.66: 0.18 and for 9,10-epoxy-12(Z)-octadecenoic acid 2.43: 0.41: 0.57 per 50 mL medium per 48 hours, respectively.