Oxidation and reduction of lignin-related aromatic compounds by Aureobasidium pullulans

Summary A yeast-like fungus, identified as Aureobasidium pullulans, was isolated from a kraft mill settling pond by enrichment culture on 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-propane-1,3-diol (I). The fungus was also able to use the following aromatic acids as sole carbon source: Benzoic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic, ferulic and protocatechuic acids. Various aromatic alcohols were oxidised to their corresponding aldehydes and acids during aerobic culture, while aromatic aldehydes were both oxidised and reduced. However, the aromatic acids were not reduced, but were slowly metabolised. Dimer I was cleaved at the alkyl-phenyl linkage to give glycerol-2-guaiacyl ether in high yield. The identity of the latter was determined by mass spectrometry and proton nmr. The dimers 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-propane-1,3-diol (II), 3,4-dimethoxy--(2,6-dimethoxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)-acetophenone (III) and 5-carboxy-7-methoxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzo-[b]-furan (IV) were not metabolised. It is concluded that the fungus resembles Fusarium in many of its metabolic properties, and could be considered as a potential lignin degrader.