Selective synthesis of cinnamyl alcohol by cyanobacterial photobiocatalysts

The chemo-selective reduction of cinnamaldehyde was examined using 7 strains of cyanobacterial cells using light energy for NADPH regeneration possibly through photosynthetic electron transport. Cinnamyl alcohol was synthesized selectively with 6 strains, and without the formation of any byproducts with 3 strains. Especially, reaction by Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 resulted in an extremely high yield (>98%) under illumination while that under dark scarcely proceeded. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.