Functionality at the end of a fatty acid chain – chemical and biological routes to ω‐hydroxylated fatty acids

Hydroxylated fatty acids are valuable compounds in the chemical industry, being used in various products. ω‐Hydroxylated fatty acids are versatile oleochemicals that can be used in polyester and polyamide production. Although a significant number of conventional synthetic chemistry production routes have been developed for ω‐hydroxy acids, considerable challenge relates to their production in price‐competitive, renewable, and sustainable production systems. The development and utilisation of biological systems for ω‐hydroxy acid production may allow the transition of these compounds from specialty chemical to commodity material. The viability of biological routes to ω‐hydroxylated fatty acids is dependent on the identification of enzymes and systems capable of such modifications. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases are currently the only characterised enzymes known to ω‐hydroxylate fatty acids and yeast provides valuable systems to perform the ω‐hydroxylation biotransformations.