Detection of mesocarp oleoyl-thioesterase gene of the South American oil palm Elaeis oleifera by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction

Abstract

The thioesterase enzyme functions in lipid synthesis by cleaving the acyl-ACP bond and liberating the 
fatty acid. Thioesterases have been isolated from a number of plant sources. The gene for this enzyme 
was detected in Elaeis oleifera by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), cloned 
and sequenced and found to have considerable sequence similarity with other previously cloned 
thioesterases. Its highest homology is to the Brassica napus oleoyl-ACP thioesterase, 72% at the 
nucleotide level over the coding region examined, and 83% identity (90% positives) at the amino acid 
level.