Production of the bioactive isoflavone O-desmethylangolensin by Enterococcus faecium INIA P553 with high efficiency

Healthy effect of isoflavones consumption is attributed to their bioactive metabolites such as O-desmethylangolensin (O-DMA) produced by intestinal bacteria. Evidence from in vitro studies suggests that O-DMA has several cancer-related biological actions. Enterococcus spp. are indigenous species of the human gastrointestinal tract. Significant attention has been focused on Enterococcus faecium strains with probiotic and /or technological interest in foods. In this work, we describe the production of the bioactive isoflavones O-DMA and 6-hydroxy O-DMA by the strain E. faecium INIA P553. O-DMA was produced from dihydrodaidzein, daidzein, daidzin and formononetin, and 6-hydroxy O-DMA from dihydrogenistein, genistein and genistin with high efficiency. To our knowledge, it is the first bacterium with probiotic potential capable of producing O-DMA and 6-hydroxy O-DMA. Therefore, this strain shows potential applications in biotechnology in functional foods and as probiotic.