Specificity of acyltransferases and their genetic manipulation for environmental adaptation and development of new industrial oils.

The biosynthesis of complex lipids involves specific acylation reactions catalysed by acyltransferases. These reactions are important for the formation of both storage lipids, triacylglycerols, as well as structural lipids such as phospholipids and galactolipids. The current status of our understanding of the specificity, selectivity, structure, cloning and genetic manipulation of these enzymes is reviewed. These studies clearly indicate the possibilities of selecting appropriate acyltransferases to produce designer lipids with defined acyl groups at different positions of the triglyceride molecule. In separate transgenic studies manipulation of these enzymes has demonstrated a dramatic alteration in the chilling sensitivity of plants.