Screening of Biotransformation Metabolites of α-Pinene by Two Bacterial strains Paenibacillus popilliae 1C, and Streptomyces rochei AB1

Biotransformation can be an effective tool for the structural modification of bioactive natural and synthetic compounds to synthesize novel and more potent compounds. The present study describes the biotransformation of α-Pinene using two bacterial strains Peanibacillus popilliae 1C and Streptomyces rochei AB1, isolated and identified in our previous study. The inhibitory concentration of the target substance against both strains was evaluated as 15 mg/ml. However, for technical considerations, a concentration of the α-Pinene at 10 mg/ml as Biotransformation Assimilable Concentration (BAC) was used to carry out the biotransformation process. For the biotransformation highlighting, both strains were cultivated on the rich medium (Luria-Bertani (LB) for Peanibacillus popilliae 1C and International Streptomyces Project 9 (ISP9) for Streptomyces rochei AB1) and poor medium (Minimum Medium (MM) for 1C and ISP9 for AB1). The chemical composition and percentage content of each compound were performed by GC/MS and GC/FID, respectively. The GC/MS analysis revealed that all the biotransformation products were hydrocarbon and oxygenated monoterpenes, which can be divided into two groups. The first group of 11 compounds (Verbenene, Isocarveol, E-2,3-Epoxycarane, γ-Terpinene, Dehydrolinalool, α-Campholene aldehyde, Menthol, Carvacrol, Limonene dioxide, Piperitenone, Ocimenol) is described for the first time in the biotransformation of α-Pinene and a second group bringing together 8 compounds previously reported (Trans Verbenol, p-Cymen-8-ol, α-Terpineol, Myrtenol, Verbenone, Trans Sobrerol, D-Limonene, Pinocarvone). These bacterial strains possess distinctive biocatalytic capacities toward α-Pinene which leads to the production of other secondary metabolites.