Publications

• An alkaline active feruloyl-CoA synthetase from soil metagenome as a potential key enzyme for lignin valorization strategies.

  Sodre V., Araujo J.N., Goncalves T.A., Vilela N., Braz A.S.K., Franco T.T., de Oliveira Neto M., Damasio A.R.L., Garcia W., Squina F.M.

  Ferulic acid (FA), a low-molecular weight aromatic compound derived from lignin, represents a high-value molecule, used for applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. FA can be further enzymatically converted in other commercially interesting molecules, such as vanillin and biopla ... >> More

  Ferulic acid (FA), a low-molecular weight aromatic compound derived from lignin, represents a high-value molecule, used for applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. FA can be further enzymatically converted in other commercially interesting molecules, such as vanillin and bioplastics. In several organisms, these transformations often start with a common step of FA activation via CoA-thioesterification, catalyzed by feruloyl-CoA synthetases (Fcs). In this context, these enzymes are of biotechnological interest for conversion of lignin-derived FA into high value chemicals. In this study, we describe the first structural characterization of a prokaryotic Fcs, named FCS1, isolated from a lignin-degrading microbial consortium. The FCS1 optimum pH and temperature were 9 and 37°C, respectively, with Km of 0.12 mM and Vmax of 36.82 U/mg. The circular dichroism spectra indicated a notable secondary structure stability at alkaline pH values and high temperatures. This secondary structure stability corroborates the activity data, which remains high until pH 9. The Small Angle X-Ray Scattering analyses resulted on the tertiary/quaternary structure and the low-resolution envelope in solution of FCS1, which was modeled as a homodimer using the hyperthermophilic nucleoside diphosphate-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase from Candidatus Korachaeum cryptofilum. This study contributes to the field of research by establishing the first biophysical and structural characterization for Fcs, and our data may be used for comparison against novel enzymes of this class that to be studied in the future. << Less

  PLoS ONE 14:E0212629-E0212629(2019) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Whole-cell bioconversion of vanillin to vanillic acid by Streptomyces viridosporus.

  Pometto A.L., Crawford D.L.

  A two-step batch fermentation-bioconversion of vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde) to vanillic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid) was developed, utilizing whole cells of Streptomyces viridosporus T7A. In the first step, cells were grown in a yeast extract-vanillin medium under condition ... >> More

  A two-step batch fermentation-bioconversion of vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde) to vanillic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid) was developed, utilizing whole cells of Streptomyces viridosporus T7A. In the first step, cells were grown in a yeast extract-vanillin medium under conditions where cells produced an aromatic aldehyde oxidase. In the second step, vanillin was incubated with the active cells and was quantitatively oxidized to vanillic acid which accumulated in the growth medium. Vanillic acid was readily recovered from the spent medium by a combination of acid precipitation and ether extraction at greater than or equal to 96% molar yield and upon recrystallization from glacial acetic acid was obtained in greater than or equal to 99% purity. << Less

  Appl Environ Microbiol 45:1582-1585(1983) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 4 other entries.

• Metabolism of ferulic acid via vanillin using a novel CoA-dependent pathway in a newly-isolated strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens.

  Narbad A., Gasson M.J.

  A soil bacterium, designated Pseudomonas fluorescens AN103, was isolated based on its ability to grow on ferulic acid as a sole source of carbon and energy. In addition, this strain was found to metabolize a number of related phenolic substrates which contained a hydroxyl group at the para positio ... >> More

  A soil bacterium, designated Pseudomonas fluorescens AN103, was isolated based on its ability to grow on ferulic acid as a sole source of carbon and energy. In addition, this strain was found to metabolize a number of related phenolic substrates which contained a hydroxyl group at the para position of the aromatic ring. During growth on ferulic acid, transient accumulation of vanillic acid and trace amounts of protocatechuic acid were detected in the culture medium. Washed cells grown on ferulic acid readily oxidized vanillin, vanillic acid and protocatechuic acid, the three putative intermediates of the metabolic pathway. The side-chain cleavage of ferulic acid to produce vanillin was demonstrated in vitro for the first time and this enzyme-catalysed reaction was shown to have an essential requirement for CoASH, ATP and MgCl2. This conversion involved a two-step process involving a CoA ligase followed by the side-chain cleavage. The addition of NAD increased the oxidation of vanillin to vanillic acid and had an overall effect of increasing the rate of ferulic acid cleavage. The application of 13C-NMR studies in vitro revealed acetyl-CoA as the C2 side-chain cleavage product. High levels of inducible ferulate-CoA ligase and NAD-linked vanillin dehydrogenase were detected and a novel pathway for ferulic acid metabolism in this organism is proposed. << Less

  Microbiology (Reading) 144:1397-1405(1998) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.