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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments
Published on: October 2, 2012
Production of alpha, omega-alkanediols using Escherichia coli expressing a cytochrome P450 from Acinetobacter sp. OC4
Tadashi Fujii1, Tatsuya Narikawa, Futoshi Sumisa
1Bioresource Laboratories, Mercian Corporation, Shizuoka.
Abstract:
Our biotransformation using Escherichia coli expressing a cytochrome P450 (CYP) belonging to the CYP153A family from Acinetobacter sp. OC4 produced a great amount of 1-octanol (2,250 mg per liter) from n-octane after 24 h of incubation. This level of production is equivalent to the maximum level previously achieved in biotransformation experiments of alkanes. In addition, the initial production rate of 1-octanol was maintained throughout the entire incubation period. These results indicate that we have achieved the functional and stable expression of a CYP in E. coli for the first time. Further, our biotransformation system showed alpha,omega-diterminal oxidation activity of n-alkanes, and a large amount of 1,8-octanediol (722 mg per liter) was produced from 1-octanol after 24 h of incubation. This is the first report on the bioproduction of alpha,omega-alkanediols from n-alkanes or 1-alkanols.
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