H. Takigawa et al., NOVEL ALLYLIC OXIDATION OF ALPHA-CEDRENE TO SEC-CEDRENOL BY A RHODOCOCCUS STRAIN, Applied and environmental microbiology, 59(5), 1993, pp. 1336-1341
A bacterial strain, designated KSM-7358, that can use alpha-cedrene fo
r growth was isolated. The strain was identified as a member of the ge
nus Rhodococcus and catalyzed the novel allylic oxidation of alpha-ced
rene regiospecifically to produce (R)-10-hydroxycedrene (sec-cedrenol)
with a very high yield. alpha-Curcumene was also produced as a possib
le metabolite of sec-cedrenol. A possible pathway for the microbial co
nversion of alpha-cedrene to sec-cedrenol and alpha-curcumene is propo
sed.