Biotransformation of long‐chain fatty acids into medium‐chain α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids or ω‐aminocarboxylic acids could be achieved with biocatalysts. This study presents the production of α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids (e.g., C9, C11, C12, C13) and ω‐aminocarboxylic acids (e.g., C11, C12, C13) directly from fatty acids (e.g., oleic acid, ricinoleic acid, lesquerolic acid) using recombinant Escherichia coli‐based biocatalysts. ω‐Hydroxycarboxylic acids, which were produced from oxidative cleavage of fatty acids via enzymatic reactions involving a fatty acid double bond hydratase, an alcohol dehydrogenase, a Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase and an esterase, were then oxidized to α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH, AlkJ) from Pseudomonas putida GPo1 or converted into ω‐aminocarboxylic acids by a serial combination of ADH from P. putida GPo1 and an ω‐transaminase of Silicibacter pomeroyi. The double bonds present in the fatty acids such as ricinoleic acid and lesquerolic acid were reduced by E. coli‐native enzymes during the biotransformations. This study demonstrates that the industrially relevant building blocks (C9 to C13 saturated α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids and ω‐aminocarboxylic acids) can be produced from renewable fatty acids using biocatalysis.magnified image
Hydroxy fatty acids are used as starting materials for the production of secondary metabolites and signalling molecules as well as in the manufacture of industrial fine chemicals. However, these compounds are usually difficult to produce from renewable biomass by chemical means. In this study, linoleate double bond hydratases of Lactobacillus acidophilus NBRC 13951 were cloned for the first time. These enzymes were highly specific for the hydration of the C‐9 or the C‐12 double bond of unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., linoleic acid). Thereby, the enzymes allowed the selective production of hydroxy fatty acids such as 13‐hydroxy‐cis‐9‐octadecenoic acid and 10‐hydroxy‐cis‐12‐octadecenoic acid from linoleic acid. In addition, the hydroxy fatty acids were further converted into industrially relevant carboxylic acids (e.g., 12‐hydroxy‐cis‐9‐dodecenoic acid, α,ω‐tridec‐9‐enedioic acid) and lactones (i.e., δ‐decalactone, γ‐dodecelactone) via whole‐cell biocatalysis using an enzyme cascade. This study thus contributes to the preparation of hydroxy fatty acids, unsaturated carboxylic acids, and lactones from renewable unsaturated fatty acids.magnified image
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations –citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.