Bioconversion of ferulic acid into vanillic acid by the thermophilic fungus Sporotrichum thermophile

• Sporotrichum thermophile is capable of promoting the formation of vanillic acid during ferulic acid degradation. Ferulic acid metabolism by S. thermophile apparently occurred via the propenoic chain degradation and the formation of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxystyrene (4-vinylguaiacol) was observed which was presumably metabolized to vanillic acid. Guaiacol was detected in addition to the above-mentioned intermediates, usually as a result of nonoxidative decarboxylation of vanillic acid. The bioconversion of ferulic into vanillic acid was affected by the amount of ferulic acid that was treated and the carbon source on which the biomass was grown. Under optimum conditions vanillic acid production from ferulic acid by S. thermophile attained very high levels of 4798 mg/L with a molar yield of 35%

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