Enantioselective epoxidation of linolenic acid catalysed by cytochrome P450(BM3) from Bacillus megaterium

Cytochrome P450(BM3), from Bacillus megaterium, catalyses the epoxidation of linolenic acid 1 yielding 15,16epoxyoctadeca-9,12-dienoic acid 2 with complete regio-and moderate enantio-selectivity (60% ee). The absolute configuration of the product is tentatively assigned as 15(R), 16(S)-. The Michaelis-Menten parameters k(cat) and Km for the reaction were determined to be 3126 +/- 226 min(-1) 1 and 24 +/- 6 mu M respectively.