Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacilli Degrading Cinnamic, 4-Coumaric, and Ferulic Acids

Abstract

Thirty-four thermophilic Bacillus sp. strains were isolated from decayed wood bark and a hot spring water sample based on their ability to degrade vanillic acid under thermophilic conditions. It was found that these bacteria were able to degrade a wide range of aromatic acids such as cinnamic, 4-coumaric, 3-phenylpropionic, 3-(p-hydroxyphenyl)propionic, ferulic, benzoic, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids. The metabolic pathways for the degradation of these aromatic acids at 60°C were examined by using one of the isolates, strain B1. Benzoic and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids were detected as breakdown products from cinnamic and 4-coumaric acids, respectively. The ␤-oxidative mechanism was proposed to be responsible for these conversions. The degradation of benzoic and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids was determined to proceed through catechol and gentisic acid, respectively, for their ring fission. It is likely that a non-␤-oxidative mechanism is the case in the ferulic acid catabolism, which involved 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-␤-hydroxypropionic acid, vanillin, and vanillic acid as the intermediates. Other strains examined, which are V0, D1, E1, G2, ZI3, and H4, were found to have the same pathways as those of strain B1, except that strains V0, D1, and H4 had the ability to transform 3-hydroxybenzoic acid to gentisic acid, which strain B1 could not do.

Obtenção de vanilina: oportunidade biotecnológica

“…As vias não β-oxidativas da degradação de ácido ferúlico foram estudadas, recentemente, com o microrganismo termofílico Bacillus sp. retirado de madeira em decomposição e fontes de água quente 33 . Existe um terceiro caminho para a degradação de ácido ferúlico em vanilina.…”

Application of a recN sequence similarity analysis to the identification of species within the bacterial genus Geobacillus

“…As Gram-positive thermophiles, these organisms have considerable potential for applications in biotechnology and bioremediation (Obojska et al, 2002;Peng et al, 2003). Their roles in natural and artificial thermal biotypes as well as in temperate soil environments are also of interest (Marchant et al, 2002;McMullan et al, 2004).…”

Isolation, Structure Elucidation of Ferulic and Coumaric acids from Fortunella japonica Swingle leaves and their Structure Antioxidant activity relationship

“…33 Paracetamol is a commonly used, mild analgesic drug. It is considered safe in normal dosage, ingestion of large quantities of paracetamol can result in hepatic necrosis and acute renal failure in man 33 . This toxicity has been attributed to the formation of a highly reactive metabolic species, the N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine.…”