油脂加工に有用なリパーゼ反応系と2位脂肪酸組成分析法の開発

Lipases play an important role in the initial hydrolysis and absorption of lipids in organisms. It is generally known that lipases specifically hydrolyze fatty acids bound to the primary hydroxyl groups of the glycerol backbone. The reaction, however, is not entirely specific due to the fatty acyl transfer from the secondary position to the primary one. Our study revealed that the substrate specificity of a lipase can be controlled by simple factors such as water, alcohol concentration, and temperature in the reaction system, and that the selective synthesis of target products can be achieved using lipases. Enzymatic methods were developed to efficiently obtain biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters) and to selectively synthesize 1-MAG or 2-MAG. This led us to also develop a novel method for determining the fatty acid composition at the sn-2 position of triacylglycerols. This analytical method has the advantage of including fats and oils containing short-chain fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the scope, which are not covered by the scope of conventional methods.