APPROACHES TO THE DESIGN OF ACYL-ACP DESATURASES WITH ALTERED FATTY ACID CHAIN-LENGTH AND DOUBLE BOND POSITIONAL SPECIFICITIES

The chain-lengths and double bond positions of monounsaturated fatty acids strongly influence their physical properties as well as their industrial and nutritional uses. Acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturases are the primary determinants of the monounsaturated fatty acid composition of seed oils. The goal of our research is to understand how these enzymes recognize the chain-lengths of substrates and position the placement of double bonds in fatty acids. This information will provide the basis for the rational design of acyl-ACP desaturases that are capable of producing new types of monounsaturated oils in transgenic crops. Outlined below are methods that we are currently using to characterize the substrate and regio-specificities of acyl-ACP desaturases.