Genetic and Biochemical Analysis of the Ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Decarboxylate Cinnamic Acids

Abstract

Decarboxylation of ferulate to 4-vinylguaiacol is associated with the production of a phenolic off-flavour in beer. The ability (Pof+) of non-brewing strains of Saccharomyces cereuisiae to carry out this reaction has been assigned, by tetrad analysis, to a single nuclear gene. This gene (POFI) is dominant in heterozygous diploids and segregates independently from MATa/MA Ta, lys2 and DEXI. Therefore, elimination of the Pof+ phenotype from strains intended for brewing is feasible by either mutation or genetic segregation. Since ferulate was decarboxylated by cell-free supernatants derived from Pof+ strains, but not by similar fractions from Pof-strains, POFI encodes production of a cellular decarboxylase. Strains carrying POFI also decarboxylated coumarate and cinnamate in vivo, but with caffeate, 4-hydroxybenzoate, 4-hydroxyphenylacetate, styrylacetate, mandelate or phenylpropionate as substrates, the corresponding decarboxylation products were not detected. POFl may confer resistance to inhibitory effects of naturally occurring cinnamates on yeast growth.

Reconstitution of the Entry Point of Plant Phenylpropanoid Metabolism in Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

“…Additional phenolic compounds such as phenylacetate could be synthesized from these catabolic intermediates. S. cerevisiae is also reported to metabolize various (hydroxy)cinnamic acids (35,36), for example the decarboxylation of cinnamate and p-coumarate to styrene and 4-vinylphenol, respectively, by a single phenylacrylic acid decarboxylase (PAD). These potential pathways and metabolites are illustrated in Fig.…”

Molecular characterization of the phenolic acid metabolism in the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum

“…Firstly, as has been shown for S. cerevisiae, PAD activity may confer a selective advantage upon microorganisms during growth on plant, where PAD expression could constitute a stress response induced by phenolic acid [10,18]. Secondly, phenol derivatives are valuable intermediates in the biotechnological production of new flavor and flagrance chemicals [19].…”

Volatile phenols in wine: Control measures of Brettanomyces/Dekkera yeasts

“…The formation of volatile phenols in wine depends on the presence of precursors and is proportional to the size of the Brettanomyces/Dekkera population (Gerbeaux et al, 2000, Suárez et al, 2007. It has previously been suggested that microorganism's decarboxylate HCAs in order to produce less toxic compounds (Goody et al, 1982). Vinyl-phenol reductase and cinnamate decarboxylase, the two enzymes involved in ethyl-phenol production in B. bruxellensis are precursor inducible, but these precursors also have an inhibitory effect on B. bruxellensis growth (Harris et al, 2008).…”