ArticleBMC microbiology2020
3-Methylxanthine production through biodegradation of theobromine by Aspergillus sydowii PT-2.
Article in BMC microbiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 41 citations in OpenAlex.
- Contrasting dietary patterns remodel gut microbial function and generate multi-omic signatures associated with cardiometabolic markers.Gut microbes · 2026Trial
- Progress in Methylxanthine Biosynthesis: Insights into Pathways and Engineering Strategies.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- The Potential of Plant Extracts Used in Cosmetic Product Applications-Antioxidants Delivery and Mechanism of Actions.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Metabolome-driven microbiome assembly determining the health of ginger crop (Zingiber officinale L. Roscoe) against rhizome rot.Microbiome · 2024Article
- Secondary Metabolites, Biological Activities, and Industrial and Biotechnological Importance ofMarine drugs · 2023Review
- Proteomics and metabolomics profiling reveal panels of circulating diagnostic biomarkers and molecular subtypes in stable COPD.Respiratory research · 2023Article
- Exercise training modifies xenometabolites in gut and circulation of lean and obese adults.Physiological reports · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMethylxanthines, including caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, are natural and synthetic compounds in tea, which could be metabolized by certain kinds of bacteria and fungi. Previous studies confirmed that several microbial isolates from Pu-erh tea could degrade and convert caffeine and theophylline. We speculated that these candidate isolates also could degrade and convert theobromine through N-demethylation and oxidation. In this study, seven tea-derived fungal strains were inoculated into various theobromine agar medias and theobromine liquid mediums to assess their capacity in theobromine utilization. Related metabolites with theobromine degradation were detected by using HPLC in the liquid culture to investigate their potential application in the production of 3-methylxanthine.
resultsBased on theobromine utilization capacity, Aspergillus niger PT-1, Aspergillus sydowii PT-2, Aspergillus ustus PT-6 and Aspergillus tamarii PT-7 have demonstrated the potential for theobromine biodegradation. Particularly, A. sydowii PT-2 and A. tamarii PT-7 could degrade theobromine significantly (p < 0.05) in all given liquid mediums. 3,7-Dimethyluric acid, 3-methylxanthine, 7-methylxanthine, 3-methyluric acid, xanthine, and uric acid were detected in A. sydowii PT-2 and A. tamarii PT-7 culture, respectively, which confirmed the existence of N-demethylation and oxidation in theobromine catabolism. 3-Methylxanthine was common and main demethylated metabolite of theobromine in the liquid culture. 3-Methylxanthine in A. sydowii PT-2 culture showed a linear relation with initial theobromine concentrations that 177.12 ± 14.06 mg/L 3-methylxanthine was accumulated in TLM-S with 300 mg/L theobromine. Additionally, pH at 5 and metal ion of Fe
conclusionsThis study is the first to confirm that A. sydowii PT-2 and A. tamarii PT-7 degrade theobromine through N-demethylation and oxidation, respectively. A. sydowii PT-2 showed the potential application in 3-methylxanthine production with theobromine as feedstock through the N-demethylation at N-7 position.
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Registered trials
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