Microbial biosynthesis of medium-chain 1-alkenes by a nonheme iron oxidase
Abstract
We have solved a long-standing mystery of the biosynthetic origin of 1-undecene, a ubiquitous hydrocarbon semivolatile metabolite of Pseudomonas. Our study revealed an unprecedented family of nonheme oxidases that specifically convert medium-chain fatty acids into the corresponding terminal olefins using an oxygen-activating, nonheme iron-dependent mechanism. Our findings unveil previously unidentified chemistry in the nonheme Fe(II) enzyme family, aid the functional study of this ubiquitous metabolite in Pseudomonas, expand the scarce enzyme inventory for the transformation of fatty acid precursors to hydrocarbons, and serve as the basis for engineering efforts to establish bioprocesses to produce medium-chain terminal olefins, useful as fuels and chemical building blocks, from renewable resources.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- December 2014
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1419701112
- Bibcode:
- 2014PNAS..11118237R