The conversion of stearic acid and lauric acid to unsaturated fatty acids by the desaturase system of Penicillium chrysogenum was investigated by incubating cell free fractions prepared from mycelial sonicates with the radioactively labeled fatty acids and analyzing the reaction products. In some experiments exogenous acyl carrier protein (ACP) or coenzyme A (Co.A) was added to the incubation mixtures. The percentage of radioactive label appearing in unsaturated fractions was regarded as a measure of the activity of the desaturase system.Desaturase activity was detected in both the 15,000 x g particulate and supernatant fractions. Only small percentages of 1-14C-stearyl-CoA were converted to unsaturated fatty acids; 1-14Clauryl-CoA was apparently more readily desaturated. The desaturase system was found to be inhibited by exogenous ACP, but not by exogenous CoA. This suggested that the fatty aryl-CoA thioesters were converted to thioesters of ACP prior to desaturation.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/180002 |
| Date | 03 June 2011 |
| Creators | Mills, Verne M. |
| Contributors | Bennett, Alice S. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | ii, 25 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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