Biotransformation of (S)-(+)-linalool by Aspergillus niger: an investigation of the culture conditions

Natural Compounds in the Battle against Microorganisms-Linalool

The purpose of this article is to present recent studies on the antimicrobial properties of linalool, the mechanism of action on cells and detoxification processes. The current trend of employing compounds present in essential oils to support antibiotic therapy is becoming increasingly popular. Naturally occurring monoterpene constituents of essential oils are undergoing detailed studies to understand their detailed effects on the human body, both independently and in doses correlated with currently used pharmaceuticals. One such compound is linalool, which is commonly found in many herbs and is used to flavor black tea. This compound is an excellent fragrance additive for cosmetics, enhancing the preservative effect of the formulations used in them or acting as an anti-inflammatory on mild skin lesions. Previous studies have shown that it is extremely important due to its broad spectrum of biological activities, i.e., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective and antimicrobial. Among opportunistic hospital strains, it is most active against Gram-negative bacteria. The mechanism of action of linalool against microorganisms is still under intensive investigation. One of the key aspects of linalool research is biotransformation, through which its susceptibility to detoxification processes is determined.

A Practical Laboratory-Scale Synthesis of All Eight Stereoisomeric Forms of Terpene Linalool Oxide

In this work, we describe a user-friendly procedure for the preparation of all the isomeric forms of the terpene linalool oxide. The presented method is based on the transformation of the linalool enantiomers into the corresponding diastereoisomeric mixtures of the two furanoid oxides and two pyranoid oxides. Taking advantage of the different steric hindrance of the hydroxyl functional groups, the pyranoid forms were separated as a diastereoisomeric mixtures of their benzoate esters. Conversely, the cis- and trans-furanoid isomers were transformed in the corresponding acetates, which were directly separated by chromatography. The hydrolysis of the latter esters afforded cis- and trans-furanoid linalool oxides whereas the same reaction performed on the benzoates mixture afforded a separable mixture of cis- and trans-pyranoid linalool oxide. Overall, the method features, as a unique mandatory requirement, the availability of both linalool enantiomers, and can be conveniently performed from a milligram to a multigram scale.

Production of Valuable Lipophilic Compounds by Using Three Types of Interface Bioprocesses: Solid-Liquid Interface Bioreactor, Liquid-Liquid Interface Bioreactor, and Extractive Liquid-Surface Immobilization System

Bioconversions such as enzymatic and microbial transformations are attractive alternatives to organic synthesis because of practical advantages such as resource conservation, energy efficiency, and environmentally harmonic properties. In addition, the production of secondary metabolites through microbial fermentation is also useful for manufacturing pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, and aroma compounds. For microbial production of useful chemicals, the authors have developed three unique interfacial bioprocesses: a solid-liquid interface bioreactor (S/L-IBR), a liquid-liquid interface bioreactor (L/L-IBR), and an extractive liquid-surface immobilization (Ext-LSI) system. The S/L-IBR comprises a hydrophobic organic solvent (upper phase), a microbial film (middle phase), and a hydrophilic gel such as an agar plate (lower phase); the L/L-IBR and the Ext-LSI consist of a hydrophobic organic solvent (upper phase), a fungal mat with ballooned microspheres (middle phase), and a liquid medium (lower phase). All three systems have unique and practically important characteristics such as utilization of living cells, high concentration of lipophilic substrates/products in an organic phase, no requirement for aeration and agitation, efficient supply of oxygen, easy recovery of product, high regio- and stereoselectivity, and wide versatility. This paper reviews the principle, construction, characteristics, and application of these interfacial systems for producing lipophilic compounds such as useful aroma compounds, citronellol-related compounds, β-caryophyllene oxide, and 6-penty-α-pyrone.

Improving 2-phenylethanol and 6-pentyl-α-pyrone production with fungi by microparticle-enhanced cultivation (MPEC)

Trichoderma atroviride IMI 206040 synthesizes the coconut lactone 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6-PAP) de novo and Aspergillus niger DSM 821 produces the rose-like flavour compound 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) from the precursor l-phenylalanine. Here, microparticles of different chemical composition and nominal particle diameter in the range 5-250 µm were added to shake-flask cultures of both fungi to investigate the particles' effect on product formation. Maximum 2-PE concentration increased by a factor of 1.3 to 1430 mg/l with the addition of 2% w/v talc (40 µm diameter). Maximum 6-PAP concentration increased by a factor of 2 to 40 mg/l with the addition of 2% w/v iron (II, III) oxide. The influence of ions leaching out of the particles was investigated by cultivating the fungi in leached particle medium. For the first time, the positive effect of the microparticle-enhanced cultivation (MPEC) technique on the microbial production of volatile metabolites, here flavour compounds from submerged fungal cultures, is demonstrated. The effect is strain- and particle-specific.

Integrated bioprocess for the stereospecific production of linalool oxides from linalool with Corynespora cassiicola DSM 62475

Linalool oxides are of interest to the flavour industry because of their lavender notes. Corynespora cassiicola DSM 62475 has been identified recently as a production organism because of high stereoselectivity and promising productivities [Mirata et al. (2008) J Agric Food Chem 56(9):3287-3296]. In this work, the stereochemistry of this biotransformation was further investigated. Predominantly (2R)-configured linalool oxide enantiomers were produced from (R)-(-)-linalool. Comparative investigations with racemic linalool suggest that predominantly (2S)-configured derivatives can be expected by using (S)-(+)-configured substrate. Substrate and product inhibited growth even at low concentrations (200 mg l⁻¹). To avoid toxic effects and supply sufficient substrates, a substrate feeding product removal (SFPR) system based on hydrophobic adsorbers was established. Applying SFPR, productivity on the shake flask scale was increased from 80 to 490 mg l⁻¹ day⁻¹. Process optimisation increased productivity to 920 mg l⁻¹ day⁻¹ in a bioreactor with an overall product concentration of 4.600 mg l⁻¹ linalool oxides.

Transformation of (±)-lavandulol and (±)-tetrahydrolavandulol by a fungal strain Rhizopus oryzae

Biotransformation of an irregular monoterpene alcohol, (±)-lavandulol [(±)-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethenyl)-4-hexen-1-ol] (I) and its tetrahydro derivative, (±)-tetrahydrolavandulol [(±)-2-isopropyl-5-methylhexan-1-ol] (II) were studied using a soil isolated fungal strain Rhizopus oryzae. Five metabolites, 2-((3,3-dimethyloxiran-2-yl)methyl)-3-methylbut-3-en-1-ol (Ia), 2-methyl-5-(prop-1-en-2-yl)hex-2-ene-1,6-diol (Ib), 2-methyl-5-(prop-1-en-2-yl)hexane-1,6-diol (Ic), 2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-3-methylenebutane-1,4-diol (Id), 5-methyl-2-(2-methyloxiran-2-yl)hex-4-en-1-ol (Ie) have been isolated from the fermentation medium and characterized with lavandulol as a substrate. When tetrahydrolavandulol used as a substrate, two metabolites 2-isopropyl-5-methylhexane-1,5-diol (IIa) and 2-isopentyl-3-methylbutane-1,3-diol (IIb) have been isolated from the fermentation medium. Biotransformation studies with R. oryzae clearly indicate that the organism initiates the transformation either by hydroxylation at allylic methyl groups or epoxidation of double bond. GC and GCMS analyses indicated that both (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of I and II have been transformed into corresponding hydroxylated or epoxy derivatives, when racemic I and II were used as substrates.

Characterization of Nerolidol Biotransformation Based on Indirect On-Line Estimation of Biomass Concentration and Physiological State in Batch Cultures of Aspergillus niger

Biotransformation of the sesquiterpenoid trans-nerolidol by Aspergillus niger has previously been investigated as a method for the formation of 12-hydroxy-trans-nerolidol, a precursor in the synthesis of the industrially interesting flavor alpha-sinensal. We characterized biotransformations of cis-nerolidol, trans-nerolidol, and a commercially available cis/trans-nerolidol mixture in repeated batch cultures of A. niger grown in computer-controlled bioreactors. On-line quantification of titrant addition in pH control allowed characterization of (1) maximal specific growth rate in exponential growth phases, (2) exponential induction of acid formation in postexponential phases, (3) inhibition of organic acid formation after nerolidol addition, and (4) exponential recovery from this inhibition. Addition of a (+/-)-cis/trans-nerolidol mixture during exponential or postexponential phase to cultures grown in minimal medium at high dissolved oxygen tension (above 50% air saturation), to cultures at low dissolved oxygen tension (5% air saturation), or to cultures grown in rich medium demonstrated that the physiological state before nerolidol addition had a major influence on biotransformation. The maximal molar yield of 12-hydroxy-trans-nerolidol (9%) was obtained by addition of a (+/-)-cis/trans-nerolidol mixture to the culture in the postexponential phase at high dissolved oxygen tension in minimal medium. Similar yields were obtained in rich medium, where the rate of biotransformation was doubled.

Fungal biotransformation of (+/-)-linalool

The biotransformation of (+/-)-linalool was investigated by screening 19 fungi. Product accumulation was enhanced by substrate feeding and, for the first time, lilac aldehydes and lilac alcohols were identified as fungal biotransformation byproduct using SPME-GC-MS headspace analysis. Aspergillus niger DSM 821, Botrytis cinerea 5901/02, and B. cinerea 02/FBII/2.1 produced different isomers of lilac aldehyde and lilac alcohol from linalool via 8-hydroxylinalool as postulated intermediate. Linalool oxides and 8-hydroxylinalool were the major products of fungal (+/-)-linalool biotransformations. Furanoid trans-(2 R,5 R)- and cis-(2 S,5 R)-linalool oxide as well as pyranoid trans-(2 R,5 S)- and cis-(2 S, 5 S)-linalool oxide were identified as the main stereoisomers with (3 S,6 S)-6,7-epoxylinalool and (3 R,6 S)-6,7-epoxylinalool as postulated key intermediates of fungal (+/-)-linalool oxyfunctionalization, respectively. With a conversion yield close to 100% and a productivity of 120 mg/L.day linalool oxides, Corynespora cassiicola DSM 62485 was identified as a novel highly stereoselective linalool transforming biocatalyst showing the highest productivity reported so far.

Biotransformation of (R)-(+)- and (S)-(−)-citronellol by Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp., and the use of solid-phase microextraction for screening

The biotransformation of (R)-(+)- and (S)-(-)-citronellol by fungi was studied. For screening experiments, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was used as analytical sampling technique. It was found that sporulated surface cultures of Aspergillus niger were able to convert the substrate into cis- and trans-rose oxides and nerol oxide. The relative contents in the headspace SPME extract of the three bioconversion products cis- and trans-rose oxide and nerol oxide were up to 54, 21 and 12%, respectively. Rose oxide is found in minor amounts in some essential oils, such as Bulgarian rose oil and geranium oil and contributes to its unique odor. It is one of the most important fragrance materials in perfumery in creating rosy notes. Other bioconversion products were 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol, limonene, terpinolene, linalool and alpha-terpineol. These bioconversion reactions were confirmed by sporulated surface cultures on larger scale and sampling by dynamic headspace sweep and steam distillation solvent extraction. The same conversions were noticed with A. tubingensis and Penicillium roqueforti. This bioconversion was enantioselective since more of the chiral cis- than trans-rose oxide was obtained (cisitrans ratio up to 95/5). Submerged liquid cultures of P. roqueforti yielded two unidentified metabolites after conversion of citronellol (yield up to 5%). The stability and acid-catalyzed conversion of citronellol was also investigated. No chemical oxidation or auto-oxidation products were detected in acidified liquid control broths up to pH 3.5. However, when control tests were run with solid media, acid-catalyzed conversion of the substrate to small amounts of cis- and trans-rose oxides, nerol oxide, linalool and alpha-terpineol was observed at pH 3.5 and when heat treatment (steam distillation solvent extraction) was applied.