Formation of ethylene glycol and trimethylamine from choline by Candida tropicalis

Abstract The degradation of choline by Candida tropicalis cells grown in a medium containing choline as a nitrogen source was examined. The degradation of choline by resting cells was stimulated by the addition of Cu²⁺ or glutathione, and inhibited by 2-mercaptoethanol or potassium cyanide. With feeding of [1,2-¹⁴C]choline in the resting cell reaction, the release of ¹⁴C-labelled ethylene glycol was observed on radio-gas-liquid chromatography. Ethylene glycol, as one of the degradation products, was also observed on thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatographies, and mass spectrometry. Thus, it is suggested that choline is converted to ethylene glycol and trimethylamine by C. tropicalis .