Wax ester formation catalysed by isoenzymes of lipolytic acyl hydrolase

Wax ester formation by esterification of a long chain fatty acid (palmitic acid) with a long chain fatty alcohol (octadecanol) was enzymically catalysed by acetone dried powder preparations of potato tubers. The enzyme responsible for wax ester formation had multiple isoenzymic forms and was identical with lipolytic acyl hydrolase, a lipid deacylating enzyme. Tubers from different varietiees of potato (Solanum tuberosum) demonstrated markedly different levels of activity and electrophoretic patterns for both wax ester formation and lipid deacylation.