Production of hydroxytyrosol from hydroxylation of tyrosol byRhodococcus pyridinivorans3HYL DSM109178

Hydroxytyrosol (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,2-benzenediol) is the most known bioactive compound from the plant Olea europaea (olive tree). To date, few biocatalysis processes allowing efficient production of hydroxytyrosol from potential substrates including, tyrosol (2-(4-hydroxy) phenyl ethanol) and tyrosine have been reported. In this paper, we report for a Gram-positive bacterium that produces hydroxytyrosol via conversion of tyrosol and/or L-tyrosine, identified as a Rhodococcus pyridinivorans based on phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence, and designated R. pyridinivorans strain 3HYL DSM109178. Interestingly, strain 3HYL shows an outstanding production of hydroxytyrosol from tyrosol up to 16.4 ± 0.23 mmol/L with high kinetic parameters exceeding the reported values. However, a slight downstream metabolism of the product is assigned to the wild-type strain during the stationary phase of growth. The plasmid-cured strain was obtained using random chemical mutagenesis, designated R. pyridinivorans 3HYL-AO, and was able to produce hydroxytyrosol, with yields up to 21.75 ± 0.34 mmol/L. Moreover, the plasmid-cured strain exhibited a significant reduction in the transformation to its acetic acid forms compared to the wild-type strain as depicted by HPLC analysis. Comparison of kinetic data of the bioconversion/accumulation process between the wild type and mutant strain, in the presence and absence of L-tyrosine, and thus suggesting the occurrence of an upstream pathway for synthesis of tyrosol via (L)-tyrosine.