Biotransformation of glycidol by the unspecific wax ester synthase/acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase of Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1

Bin Kim O, Luftmann H, Steinbuchel A

Abstract

Glycidol was biologically derivatized by the unspecific wax ester synthase/acyl coenzyme A (acyl-CoA): diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WS/DGAT) from Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 into glycidyl acyl ester. Catalysis of in vitro conversion of glycidol to glycidyl acyl ester by the WS/DGAT from A. baylyi was verified by (i) a radiometric assay, (ii) thin-layer chromatography and (iii) also by ESI-MS. A specific activity of 50 nmol·mg-1·min-1 was obtained when 10 mM glycidol and 5 μM palmitoyl-CoA were used. In vivo synthesized glycidyl acyl esters in recombinant E. coli were detected and quantified by staining with the epoxide-specific reagent 4-(4-nitrobenzyl)-pyridine. Of glycidyl acyl esters, 1.5 mg/L was obtained from the culture in the presence of 10 mM glycidol and 10 mM oleate. © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.