Biocatalytic reduction of (+)- and (-)-carvone by bacteria

The biotransformation of the two enantiomers of carvone, (-)-(1a) and (+)-(1b), by two bacteria (Pseudomonas putida and Acinetobacter lwoffi) isolated from different environments is reported. The metabolites from the biotransformations carried out in liquid cultures using the sterile TS-2 mineral medium were screened by headspace solid phase microextraction/GC-MS. The results show that these bacteria are efficient tools in the diastereoselective bioreduction of (+)- and (-)-carvone. (c) 2005 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.