| abstract |
The present invention relates to a process for the microbial in-chain hydroxylation of C10 to C16 fatty acids, alcohols and alkanes, the process including the use of a microorganism expressing the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP505E3 or related fungal cytochrome P450 monooxygenases in the production of a hydroxylated product or secondary product. The cytochrome P450 may be expressed recombinantly, in a cell-free extract, or in the wild-type fungal strain. The present invention further relates to a process for the preparation of lactones, esters and polymers by hydroxylation of the corresponding fatty acids, fatty alcohols and alkane precursors, preferably for the production of gamma and delta decalacone or dodecalactone. Also described are vectors encoding the enzymes of interest. |