US Patent 7179626 11-Arachidonate-lipoxygenase mutants

A method for producing a plant lipoxygenase (LOX) with modified positional specificity toward arachidonic acid and its use for hydroperoxylation of arachidonic acid. The LOX makes it possible to produce for the first time (11S,14Z,12E,8Z,5Z)-11-hydroperoxy-14,12,8,5-eicosatetraenic acids on a large scale. To this end, arachidonic acid is incubated as substrate with the LOX under appropriate conditions. Hydroperoxylation of the arachidonic acid is then effected, preferably at position 11, with secondary products which are hydroperoxylated at position 8, at position 5, or at positions 11 and 8 and 5.