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Unveiling the Multipath Biosynthesis Mechanism of 2-Phenylethanol in Proteus mirabilis

Jinbin Liu1, Yajun Bai2, Tai-Ping Fan3

  • 1The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
|July 2, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Proteus mirabilis converts l-phenylalanine into 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) through three distinct metabolic pathways. This study identifies a novel decarboxylase pathway and details gene expression under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Metabolic Engineering
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Proteus mirabilis is known to metabolize amino acids.
  • 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) is a valuable aromatic compound with diverse applications.
  • Understanding microbial metabolic pathways is crucial for biosynthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the metabolic pathways utilized by Proteus mirabilis for 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) synthesis from l-phenylalanine.
  • To identify and characterize novel pathways involved in 2-PE production.
  • To investigate the role of specific genes and enzymes in these pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to assess mRNA expression levels of 11 key genes.
  • Investigated metabolic conversions under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
  • Characterized the enzymatic activity of l-aromatic amino acid transferase.

Main Results:

  • Confirmed three distinct pathways for 2-phenylethanol synthesis: Ehrlich, amino acid deaminase, and a newly identified aromatic amino acid decarboxylase pathway.
  • Demonstrated unique catalytic activity of l-aromatic amino acid transferase in the decarboxylase pathway.
  • Observed significant gene expression changes under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, indicating pathway regulation.

Conclusions:

  • Proteus mirabilis employs a multipath synthetic metabolism for 2-phenylethanol production.
  • The discovery of the aromatic amino acid decarboxylase pathway offers new insights into microbial biosynthesis.
  • Findings provide a foundation for optimizing natural 2-PE synthesis through metabolic engineering.
Keywords:
2-phenylethanolEhrlich pathwayProteus mirabilisRT-qPCRl-phenylalanine

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