Biotransformations of organic compounds mediated by cultures of Aspergillus niger

Abstract

Many different organic compounds may be converted by microbial biotransformation to high-value products for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This review summarizes the use of strains of Aspergillus niger, a well-known filamentous fungus used in numerous biotechnological processes, for biochemical transformations of organic compounds. The substrates transformed include monocyclic, bicyclic, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; azaarenes, epoxides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and other aliphatic and aromatic compounds. The types of reactions performed by A. niger, although not unique to this species, are extremely diverse. They include hydroxylation, oxidation of various functional groups, reduction of double bonds, demethylation, sulfation, epoxide hydrolysis, dechlorination, ring cleavage, and conjugation. Some of the products may be useful as new investigational drugs or chemical intermediates.

In vitro and in silico antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of rhizospheric fungus Talaromyces purpureogenus isolate-ABRF2

“…UV absorbance at λ max 272 and 328 nm having the typical pattern of 3-methyl-4-oxo-pentanoic acid. The IR spectrum showed absorption bands at 1716.32, 1652.84 and 1181.53 cm −1 revealed the similarity with 3-methyl-4-oxo-pentanoic acid reported earlier in the literature suggesting biotransformation of pyrone to benzoic acid and derivatives by microorganisms (Parshikov et al 2015). The GC-MS analysis of a crude extract of ABRF2 revealed the presence of ester compound, which when further validated by 1 H NMR, showed chemical shift similar to standard n-valeric acid/pentanoic acid.…”

Fungi as a source of natural coumarins production

“…According to the authors, dihydrocoumarin is widely used as a flavor and fragrance, and transformed by A. niger ATCC 11394 to 2-(3-hydroxypropyl)phenol, 6-hydroxy-3,4-dihydrochromen-2-one, 4-hydroxycoumarin, and three minor metabolites (Parshikov et al 2015). 4-Hydroxycoumarin and derivatives have been effectively used as anticoagulants for the treatment of thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism, and certain cardiac conditions.…”

“…Bocks (1967) cites that the o-coumaric acid when incubated with A. niger was converted in approximately 72 % into 4-hydroxycoumarin. A different strain, A. niger ATCC 11394, reduced coumarin to dihydrocoumarin (3,4-dihydrochromen-2-one) and then either to 6-hydroxy-3,4-dihydrochromen-2-one or to melilotic acid, 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)propanal and 2-(3-hydroxypropyl)phenol (Parshikov et al 2015).…”

Aspergillus niger: A Hundred Years of Contribution to the Natural Products Chemistry

“…The use of strains of this fungus on the biotransformation of organic compounds, 23 steroids and flavonoids 22 besides terpenoids 24 was reviewed in the literature. In the latter revision 24 (literature covered from 1960 to 2013), the authors present various examples of the use of A. niger strains that promoted stereoselective biotransformation in terpenoids to yield compounds of industrial interest to flavors, fragrances or pharmaceutical industries.…”

“…Therefore, all these scientific achievements over a century of the investigation resulted in a range of new processes and compounds and contributed to the great interest about the chemical versatility and the pharmacological potential of secondary metabolites from A. niger. Investigations focused on the screening of bioactive compounds using strains from different habitats, modifications on the fermentation routes, 8 genome editing, 18,19 epigenetic modulation, 20,21 and microbial biotransformation, [22][23][24] and revealed A. niger as a powerful tool for the production of diverse and structurally complex compounds endowed with an ingenious structure for the experimental drug research area.…”