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  • Formation of 4-vinyl guaiacol as an intermediate in bioconversion of ferulic acid by Schizophyllum commune.

Formation of 4-vinyl guaiacol as an intermediate in bioconversion of ferulic acid by Schizophyllum commune.

Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry (2008-01-08)
Sho-ichi Tsujiyama, Masayoshi Ueno
ABSTRACT

In order to utilize phenolic compounds in unused biomass resources, the metabolic pathway of ferulic acid by way of a white-rot fungus, Schizophyllum commune, was investigated. Ferulic acid was immediately degraded, and the formation of 4-vinyl guaiacol was confirmed by GC-MS analysis. The metabolic test of ferulic acid and its degradation products indicated that S. commune converted ferulic acid into 4-vinyl guaiacol by decarboxylation. This was then oxidized to vanillin and vanillic acid. This result indicates that S. commune distinguished ferulic acid from lignins and metabolized it specifically.