Biosynthesis of Two Hydroxybenzoic Acid-Amine Conjugates in Engineered Escherichia coli

Two hydroxybenzoyl amines, 4-hydroxybenzoyl tyramine (4-HBT) and N-2-hydroxybenzoyl tryptamine (2-HBT), were synthesized using Escherichia coli. While 4-HBT was reported to demonstrate anti-atherosclerotic activity, 2-HBT showed anticonvulsant and antinociceptive activities. We introduced genes chorismate pyruvate-lyase (ubiC), tyrosine decarboxylase (TyDC), isochorismate synthase (entC), isochorismate pyruvate lyase (pchB), and tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC) for each substrate, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA), tyramine, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (2-HBA), and tryptamine, respectively, in E. coli. Genes for CoA ligase (hbad) and amide formation (CaSHT and OsHCT) were also introduced to form hydroxybenzoic acid and amine conjugates. In addition, we engineered E. coli to provide increased substrates. These approaches led to the yield of 259.3 mg/l 4-HBT and 227.2 mg/l 2-HBT and could be applied to synthesize diverse bioactive hydroxybenzoyl amine conjugates.