Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

HKUST-1 as a Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of Vanillin
Published on: July 23, 2016
Properties of the reversible nonoxidative vanillate/4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase from Bacillus subtilis
Boguslaw Lupa1, Delina Lyon, Lindsey N Shaw
1Department of Microbiology, The University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA.
Abstract:
Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6051) reversibly decarboxylates vanillate and 4-hydroxybenzoate under both aerobic and anoxic conditions. Thus, we have identified on the basis of gene sequence homology with Sedimentibacter hydroxybenzoicus and Streptomyces sp. strain D7, a putative B. subtilis hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase. The native form of this enzyme is encoded by 3 genes yclBCD (GI Sequence Identification Nos.: 2632649, 2632650, 2632651) that we have renamed during this research as bsdBCD to align with existing nomenclature. The bsdD gene is reported in the database to be 690 bp; however, our sequence analysis revealed that the size of this gene is in fact 228 bp, an observation that results in a shortening of YclD (i.e., BsdD) from 229 to 75 aa. The corresponding bsdBCD genes were cloned into Escherichia coli, and the heterologously expressed enzyme was assayed for activity. The decarboxylase exhibited a narrow substrate range, with only 2 of the tested substrates, vanillate (Kmapp = 4 mmol.L-1) and 4-hydroxybenzoate (Kmapp = ~1 mmol.L-1), being decarboxylated. The recombinant enzyme had properties similar to that of the native enzyme in respect to specific activity, kinetic properties, bidirectional decarboxylase-carboxylase activity, oxygen insensitivity, and substrate specificity.
Related Concept Videos
Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones: Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation
The carbonyl center is activated by...
Loss of Carboxy Group as CO2: Decarboxylation of β-Ketoacids
Loss of Carboxy Group as CO2: Decarboxylation of Malonic Acid Derivatives
Reactions of Carboxylic Acids: Introduction
Reactions at the Benzylic Position: Oxidation and Reduction
Oxidations of Aldehydes and Ketones to Carboxylic Acids
Aldehydes readily undergo oxidation in strong oxidizing agents such as potassium permanganate and chromic acid. The oxidation can also be carried out using mild oxidizing agents such as silver oxide. In fact, aldehydes can be easily oxidized...

