Identification of fungal ene-reductase activity by means of a functional screening

Bioeconomy stresses the need of green processes promoting the development of new methods for biocatalyzed alkene reductions. A functional screening of 28 fungi belonging to Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota isolated from different habitats was performed to analyze their capability to reduce C=C double bonds towards three substrates (cyclohexenone, α-methylnitrostyrene, and α-methylcinnamaldehyde) with different electron-withdrawing groups, i.e., ketone, nitro, and aldehyde, respectively. Almost all the fungi showed this reducing activity. Noteworthy Gliomastix masseei, Mucor circinelloides, and Mucor plumbeus resulted versatile and effective, being able to reduce all the model substrates quickly and with high yields.