ARS | Publication request: Physiological activities of hydroxyl fatty acids

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 4, 2011
Publication Date: May 4, 2011
Citation: Hou, C.T., Paul, S., Kang, S. 2011. Physiological activities of hydroxyl fatty acids [abstract]. American Oil Chemists' Society. Abstract #BIO. 1-4, p. 22.

Technical Abstract: In the search of value-added products from surplus soybean oil, we produced many new hydroxy fatty acids through microbial bioconversion. Hydroxy fatty acids are used in a wide range of industrial products, such as resins, waxes, nylons plastics, lubricants, cosmetics, and additives in coatings and paintings. Hydroxy fatty acids are also found to have antimicrobial and other physiological activities. In our continuous effort to screen natural products for their anti-microbial and enzyme inhibitor activities, we found that newly discovered trihydroxy fatty acids showed anti-plant pathogenic fungal activities and dihydroxy fatty acids had anti-bacterial activities. We also found that 10-Hydroxy-8(E)-Octadecenoic acid (HOD) exhibited strong anti- a-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.20) activity. HOD is an intermediate in the bioconversion of oleic acid to 7,10-dihydroxy-8(E)-Octadecenoic acid (DOD) by a bacterial isolate, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PR3). The a-glucosidase inhibitory activity of HOD was six times more potent than the commercially available anti-diabetic remedy, acarbose. Now, we are trying to screen microbial cultures from soil and water samples to find a better culture which is able to convert soybean oil directly to HOD to reduce the production cost of hydroxyl fatty acids.