Oleate hydratase: Studies of substrate specificity

This work concerns studies of the substrate specificity of an enzyme preparation from a pseudomonad which catalyzes the stereospecific hydration of the Δ 9 ‐double bond of oleic acid. [5DL‐ 3 H]‐5DL‐hydroxystearic acid, [6DL‐ 3 H]‐6DL‐hydroxystearic acid, [7DL‐ 3 H]‐7DL‐hydroxystearic acid, [9DL‐ 3 H]‐9DL‐hydroxystearic acid, [10DL‐ 3 H]‐10DL‐hydroxystearic acid, [11DL‐ 3 H]‐11DL‐hydroxystearic acid, [14DL‐ 3 H]‐14DL‐hydroxystearic acid, [15DL‐ 3 H]‐15DL‐hydroxystearic acid, and [1‐ 14 C]‐stearolic acid were prepared and incubated with the enzyme. Only the 10‐hydroxysteric acid served as a substrate for the enzyme. The findings reported in this study, in conjunction with those previously reported, indicate that only the D‐isomer of 10‐hydroxystearic acid serves as a substrate for the enzyme.