Abstract:

Aromatic hydrocarbons can be degraded by fungi. However, the application of the highly active oxidases induced in the degradation process is still rare. This paper investigated the biotransformation of flavone by marine fungi Pseudallescheria boydii and Trichoderma erinaceum cultured in the media containing benzene and toluene. Pseudallescheria boydii and Trichoderma erinaceum show strong tolerance to benzene and toluene. The hydroxylation enzymes activated by the degradation processes of benzene and toluene are responsible for the biotransformation of flavones, which gives the only product 4'-hydroxy flavones with high regioselectivity. Furthermore, the transformation yield can reach up to 82%. This biotransformation induced by the degradation of benzene and toluene may have potential applications in the field of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.

Key words: marine fungi, benzene, toluene, flavone, biotransformation, hydroxylation