Isoamyl acetate, one of the major characteristic aroma compoundsof sake, was synthesized by the condensation of acetyl-CoA and isoamyl alcohol under the action of alcohol acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.84) of yeast. The enzyme, which was associated with the cell membrane, was purified about 800-fold. The purified enzyme was very labile at temperatures higher than 10°C and pHs lower than 5.5 but was stable at pH 6.0-7.5. The enzyme was most active at 30°C and pH 7.0. The isoelectric point of this enzymewas 5.5. The molecular weight was estimated to be about 50,000 by gel filtration and SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

No abstract