Resolving phenylalanine metabolism sheds light on natural synthesis of penicillin G in Penicillium chrysogenum.

ABSTRACT: The industrial production of penicillin G by Penicillium chrysogenum requires the supplementation of the growth medium with the side chain precursor phenylacetate. The growth of P. chrysogenum with phenylalanine as the sole nitrogen source resulted in the extracellular production of phenylacetate and penicillin G. To analyze this natural pathway for penicillin G production, chemostat cultures were switched to [U-(13)C]phenylalanine as the nitrogen source. The quantification and modeling of the dynamics of labeled metabolites indicated that phenylalanine was (i) incorporated in nascent protein, (ii) transaminated to phenylpyruvate and further converted by oxidation or by decarboxylation, and (iii) hydroxylated to tyrosine and subsequently metabolized via the homogentisate pathway. The invol

SUBMITTER: Veiga T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3272894 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature