• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.619-622
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• 2006

Biotransformation is a good tool to synthesize regioselective compounds. It could be performed with diverse sources of genes, and microorganisms provide a myriad of gene sources for biotransformation. We were interested in modification of flavonoids, and therefore, we cloned a putative O-methyltransferase from Bacillus cereus, BcOMT-2. It has a 668-bp open reading frame that encodes a 24.6-kDa protein. In order to investigate the modification reaction mediated by BcOMT-2, it was expressed in E. coli as a His-tag fusion protein and purified to homogeneity. Several substrates such as naringenin, luteolin, kaempferol, and quercetin were tested and reaction products were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). BcOMT-2 could transfer a methyl group to substrates that have a 3' functional hydroxyl group, such as luteolin and quercetin. Comparison of the HPLC retention time and UV spectrum of the quercetin reaction product with corresponding authentic 3'-methylated and 4'-methylated compounds showed that the methylation position was at either the 3'-hydroxyl or 4'-hydroxyl group. Thus, BcOMT-2 transfers a methyl group either to the 3'-hydroxyl or 4'-hydroxyl group of flavonoids when both hydroxyl groups are available. Among several flavonoids that contain a 3'- and 4'-hydroxyl group, fisetin was the best substrate for the BcOMT-2.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.854-857
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• 2011

POMT7, which is an O-methyltransferase from poplar, transfers a methyl group to several flavonoids that contain a 7-hydroxyl group. POMT7 has been shown to have a higher affinity toward quercetin, and the reaction product rhamnetin has been shown to inhibit the formation of beta-amyloid. Thus, rhamnetin holds great promise for use in therapeutic applications; however, methods for mass production of this compound are not currently available. In this study, quercetin was biotransformed into rhamnetin using Escherichia coli expressing POMT7, with the goal of developing an approach for mass production of rhamnetin. In order to maximize the production of rhamnetin, POMT7 was subcloned into four different E. coli expression vectors, each of which was maintained in E. coli with a different copy number, and the best expression vector was selected. In addition, the S-adenosylmethionine biosynthesis pathway was engineered for optimal cofactor production. Through the combination of optimized POMT7 expression and cofactor production, the production of rhamnetin was increased up to 111 mg/l, which is approximately 2-fold higher compared with the E. coli strain containing only POMT7.