Introductory Remarks

Abstract

The first description of a lipoxygenase (originally termed lipoxidase) in higher plants was documented over 65 years ago.¹ The Malta Conference on “Lipoxygenases and Their Products” was held exactly at the 50th anniversary of the first crystallization of the soybean lipoxygenase by Theorell and coworkers.² Despite these early highlights the progress in lipoxygenase research was hampered for a long time by the fact that a clear-cut biological function for this enzyme family could not be established. It was not easy to understand why a special enzyme is needed for a lipid peroxidation which in principle can also occur non-enzymatically. Earlier ideas that lipoxygenases would constitute an alternative pathway of biological oxidation could not be substantiated. The main interest in plant lipoxygenases arose through agrochemistry and food technology, since some plant lipoxygenase products are implicated in the production of aroma or undesirable flavours and odours.³ As far as the structure and mechanism of action of plant lipoxygenases is concerned, the pioneering work of the research groups of Vliegenthart and of Axelrod may be particularly singled out.