Cornell Research Foundation Inc.

Gurdev S Ghangas

John C Steffens

Nancy T Eannetta

Jian-Ping Kuai

Enzyme activities which transfer glucose from uridine 5'-diphosphate glucose to fatty acids to form 1-O-acyl-.beta.-glucoses which act as acyl donors in the esterification of glucose and further esterification of partially acylated glucose and in the esterification of sucrose and further esterification of partially acylated sucrose, are separated according to specificity for transferring glucose to short, medium or long chain length fatty acids. DNA molecules coding for the enzyme activities are isolated. Methods for preparing 1-O-acyl-.beta.-D-glucoses comprise reacting uridine 5'-diphosphate glucose and fatty acid in the presence of the appropriate enzyme activity.

Chain length specific UDP-GLC: fatty acid glucosyltransferases

Essentially pure acyltransferase is provided which is functional to catalyze reaction to form sugar esters. Also provided is isolated gene encoding acyltransferase. Additionally provided is method for forming palmityl esters of glucose comprising reacting 1-O-palmitoyl-.beta.-D-glucose with itself, with glucose or with palmityl partial ester of glucose in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of acyltransferase.

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Ithaca, NY, United States of America

Gurdev S Ghangas