Plant Bioscience Limited

Institute of Food Research

Michael John Charles Rhodes

Michael John Gasson

Arjan Narbad

Nicholas John Walton

A method of producing vanillin comprising the steps of: (1) providing trans-ferulic acid or a salt thereof; and (2) providing trans-ferulate: CoASH ligase activity (enzyme activity I), trans-feruloyl ScoA hydratase activity (enzyme activity II), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-&bgr;-hydroxy-propionyl SCoA (HMPHP SCoA) cleavage activity (enzyme activity III). Conveniently the enzymes are provided by Fe3 or a mutant or derivative thereof. Polypeptides with enzymes activities II and III and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. Use of the polypeptides or the polynucleotides in a method for producing vanillin is also provided.

Production of vanillin

A method of producing vanillin comprising the steps of: (1) providing trans-ferulic acid or salt thereof; and (2) providing trans-ferulate; CoASH ligase activity (enzyme activity I) trans-feruloyl SCoA hydratase activity (enzyme activity II), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-&bgr;-hydroxy-propionyl SCoA (HMPHP SCoA) cleavage activity (enzyme activity III). Conveniently the enzymes are provided by,Fe3 or a mutant or derivative thereof. Polypeptides with enzymes activities II and III and polynucleotides encoding said polypeptides. Use of said polypeptides or said polynucleotides in a method for producing vanillin.

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Norfolk, United Kingdom

Michael John Charles Rhodes