Biotechnology for Improving Hydroxy Fatty Acids Production in Lesquerella (Physaria fendleri)

Hydroxy fatty acid (HFA) is a vital raw material for numerous industrial products, such as lubricants, plasticizers and surfactants. Castor oil is the current commercial source of HFA which contains 90% ricinoleic acid (18,1OH). Castor seeds contain the toxin ricin and hyperallergic 2S albumins; it is detrimental to castor oil production. Lesquerella is a potential industrial oilseed crop for a safe source of HFA, because lesquerella seeds contain a valuable HFA, lesquerolic acid (20,1OH), at 55–60% in seed oil. This chapter describes current progress on improving HFA production in lesquerella through metabolic engineering.