Screening of microorganisms for bioconversion of (−)β-pinene and R-(+)-limonene to α-terpineol

This work is focused on the bioconversion of (−)β-pinene and R-(+)-limonene to α-terpineol. To carry out the present study, 400 microorganisms were tested for their ability to bioconvert the substrates. From the microorganisms, no one was able to convert R-(+)-limonene and 4 were able to bioconvert (−)-β-pinene to oxygenated monoterpenes. The metabolites recovered were α-terpineol (2856.54 ± 50.23 mg/L) and fenchol (traces) for Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404, α-terpineol (688.13 ± 41.27 mg/L) for A. niger ATCC 9642, α-terpineol (172.07 ± 32.94 mg/L) for A. niger ATCC 1004 and α-terpineol (24.38 ± 2.78 mg/L) and trans-pinocarveol (traces) for Penicillium camembertii ATCC 4845. After screening and optimization experiments, the best experimental condition for bioconversion of (−)β-pinene to α-terpineol was established using A. niger ATCC 16404 at 35 °C without addition of vitamin solution, yielding a conversion in α-terpineol of 15494.34 ± 193.87 mg/L.