Lipid engineering related to biological functions has made remarkable progress in the fields of microbial production of functional lipids, metabolic engineering of microorganisms, elucidation of physiological functions of rare lipids, lipid-related enzyme engineering, and lipid analysis techniques. Various rare lipids are produced by utilizing microorganisms and their enzymes. It is also becoming clear that the rare lipids produced by intestinal bacteria contribute significantly to human health. Technological advances related to identification of lipid structures and quantification of lipids have led to such discoveries in the field of lipid engineering. This article reviews the latest findings that are attracting attention in the field of lipid engineering related to biological functions.
Keywords: Hydroxy fatty acid; Lipase; Mass spectrometry; Microbial fermentation; Molecular breeding; Thraustochytrids.
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