Isolation and characterization of a novel Rhodococcus strain with switchable carbonyl reductase and para-acetylphenol hydroxylase activities.

In the search for an effective biocatalyst for the reduction of acetophenones with unprotected hydroxy group on the benzene ring, a microorganism, which reduced para-acetylphenol to S-(-)-1-(para-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol under anaerobic conditions, was isolated from soil samples and the 16S rDNA study showed that it was phylogenetically affiliated with species of the genus Rhodococcus and was most similar to Rhodococcus pyridinivorans. Unexpectedly, this strain also hydroxylated para-acetylphenol to give 4-acetylcatechol in presence of oxygen, possessing para-acetylphenol hydroxylase activity. While the reduction of para-acetylphenol had an optimal reaction pH at 7 and a broad optimal temperature range (35-45 °C), the hydroxylation reached the maximum conversion at the pH range of 7-8 and 35 °C. This study identified for the first time a Rhodococcus strain with para-acetylphenol hydroxylase activity, which also contains highly enantioselective carbonyl reductase activity with potential applications for the asymmetric reduction of these less-explored but important ketones such as α-aminoacetophenone, 3'-hydroxyacetophenone and 4'-hydroxyacetophenone. The para-acetylphenol hydroxylase and carbonyl reductase activity are switchable by the reaction conditions.