Biotransformation of Δ3-carene by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Penicillium nigricans</i>

Abstract

A fungus was isolated from forest soil by selective enrichment method with Δ3-carene as a sole source of carbon and identified as <i>Penicillium nigricans. </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The</i> isolate was capable of transforming Δ3-carene into neutral [dihydrocarvone, carvone, carveol, (+)-trans-p-mentha-5,8-dien-2-ol and (+)-trans-p-mentha-5,8-dien-2-one] and acidic (perillic acid and 2-hydroxy-p-menth-8-ene-7-oic-acid) metabolic compounds. These compounds were identified based on infrared (IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) and mass spectrum (MS) studies. Three pathways have been proposed for the transformation of Δ3-carene into the neutral and acid metabolic compounds based on the study of oxygen consumption by Δ3-carene grown fungal cells. As the different metabolic intermediates of Δ3-carene are much used in the perfume industry, the Δ3-carene, which is abundantly available, can be used as a starting material in the perfume industry by microbial techniques, using this fungal strain.