Alcohol dehydrogenases from olive (Olea europaea) fruit

Alcohol dehydrogenase activity was detected in extracts from the pericarp tissues of developing olive fruits using hexanal as the substrate. Total activity in the crude extract was 20-fold higher with NADPH than with NADH. Three discrete enzymes were resolved by means of a purification protocol involving ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. One of the enzymes was NAD-dependent and displayed a high K(m) for hexanal (K(m) = 2.1 mM). Two NADP-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases were resolved, one showing a high K(m) for hexanal (K(m) = 1.9 mM) and the second with a lower K(m) for the same substrate (K(m) = 0.04 mM). The three enzymes have been partially purified and their kinetic parameters and specificities for various aldehydes determined. The involvement of these enzymes in the biogenesis of six carbon alcohols constituent of the aroma of olive oil is discussed.