Presence of alcohol acetyltransferase in melons (Cucumis melo L)

Of 20 genotypes of melon fruits tested, 17 were able to esterify exogenous isoburyl alcohol. Alcohol acetyltransferase involved in esterification of alcohols with acetyl CoA was extracted from melon pulp. The partially purified enzyme had pH and temperature optima of 8 and 30 degrees C respectively. The enzyme was relatively stable at temperatures up to 40 degrees C. The molecular weight was estimated by gel filtration to be about 400 kDa. The protein band corresponding to this molecular weight was absent from gels loaded with protein from a melon genotype lacking the ability to form esters. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.