Kao Corporation

Takuto Tojo

Keiji Endo

Tatsuro Ozaki

Hiroyuki Ohta

Shinji Sugihara

Hiroko Endo

Koichi Hori

Takeshi Saito

The present disclosure provides a gene encoding a protein having &#x3b2;-ketoacyl-ACP synthase activity having at least 60% or more identity with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, the protein encoded by the gene, a method of producing a transformant by transforming a host with the gene, a transformant that is transformed with the gene, and a method of producing a lipid, especially, a lipid containing a medium chain fatty acid or ester thereof, by culturing the transformed host that expresses the gene. In some embodiments, the transformant also has a gene encoding an acyl-ACP thioesterase.

Method of producing lipid by using &#x3b2;-ketoacyl-ACP synthase

A method of producing a fatty acid or a lipid containing a fatty acid, using a thioesterase variant having an amino acid sequence in which the 231amino acid is substituted from threonine to lysine in the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and a transformant obtained by introducing a gene that encodes the thioesterase variant which transformant has an enhanced ability to produce a fatty acid or a lipid containing a fatty acid.

Method of producing fatty acids or lipids containing fatty acids using thioesterase variants

A thioesterase comprising an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, a thioesterase gene encoding the thioesterase, a transformant comprising the gene, and a method of producing fatty acids or lipids using the transformant.

Thioesterase and a method of producing fatty acids or lipids using the thioesterase

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Haga-gun, Japan

Takuto Tojo