Microbial Transformation of Evonine

Arthrobacter citreus ATCC 11624 cleaved selectively only acetyl groups in the polyester alkaloid evonine, whilst the other two hydroxyl groups, esterified with dicarboxylic evonic acid, were retained in the isolated metabolite. Pentadeacetylevonine was identified as the sole product of this microbial transformation, which proceeds quantitatively within 4 days.