**Appendices and nomenclature**


*Genes Involved in Lipid Metabolism in Coconut DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90998*

*Innovation in the Food Sector Through the Valorization of Food and Agro-Food By-Products*

*E. coli* K27 and analyzing free fatty acids accumulated in the medium [14].

and in vitro gene validation experiments in coconut palm.

**5. Conclusions**

*Escherichia coli* (*E. coli*) strains are commonly used in molecular biology, because the introduction of DNA into *E. coli* is convenient. Since lipid metabolism is basic in all living cells, specific *E. coli* strain with gene mutation could be used for analyzing enzyme functions. Knutzon et al. [11] cloned the CnLAAPT gene copy (CCG001603.1) from coconut endosperm and tested enzyme activity by introducing the gene into *E. coli* strain K27 that has a mutation in the *fadD* gene as well as β-oxidation of fatty acids. Overexpression of this *CnLAAPT* gene copy caused the accumulation of free fatty acids in the growth medium. Enzymic specificity of three acyl-ACP TEs of coconut (CnFatB1, CnFatB2, and CnFatB3) have been tested by transforming and expressing in

Coconut palm (*Cocos nucifera* L) is an economically important monocot plant grown in tropical and subtropical regions. Coconut oil is stored in a solid endosperm and has 47.48–50.5% fatty acid component, which is a medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) such as lauric acid (C12:0). Present research showed that acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterases and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase are key enzymes determining MCFA accumulation in coconut oil (**Figure 1**). In this chapter, we reviewed three aspects of research related to coconut lipid metabolism. Firstly, we summarized key genes related to MCFA accumulation in coconut endosperm. Secondly, we summarized evolutionary relationship between coconut palm and oil palm for MCFA accumulation. Thirdly, we described studies using in vivo

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**Conflict of interest**

**Figure 1.**

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

*The diagram of key genes involved in medium-chain fatty acid accumulation in coconut endosperm.*

DGAT diacylglycerol acyltransferases

**Appendices and nomenclature**

ACP acyl carrier protein

