Pseudomonas rhodesiae PF1: A new and efficient biocatalyst for production of isonovalal from alpha-pinene oxide

A new bacterial strain, identified as Pseudomonas rhodesiae PF1 and deposited under the accession number CIP 107491, is presented. It is very active for the production of the acyclic compound Z-2-methyl-5-isopropyl-hexa-2,5-dien-1-al (isonovalal) from alpha-pinene oxide. Enzyme synthesis is induced by culturing cells on alpha-pinene; growing bacteria also have the ability to synthesize the epoxide derivative of alpha-pinene. Isonovalal production was performed without aeration and with concentrated resting cells previously frozen at -20degreesC, and subsequently thawed in a water-organic solvent, two-phase system. The organic layer was hexadecane, the volume ratio being 1:1. The best results achieved allowed recovery of c.a. 60 g/l organic solvent of isonovalal in 2.5 h operation, which is the most efficient process to date in the area of terpene biotransformations.