PRODUCTION OF VOLATILE DIENES BY ENZYMATIC DEHYDRATION OF LIGHT ALKENOLS
Described is a method for generating conjugated dienes through a biological process. More specifically, the application describes a method for producing conjugated dienes (for example butadiene, isoprene or dimethylbutadiene) from light alkenols via enzymatic dehydration, in particular by making use of an alkenol dehydratase.
1 . A method for producing a conjugated diene characterized in that it comprises a step of enzymatically converting a compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O into C n H 2n-2 +H 2 0, with 3<n<7, by making use of an alkenol dehydratase.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O, with 3<n<7, is a primary allyl alcohol (PRA) of the formula I:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from H and CH 3 .
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O, with 3<n<7, is a secondary or tertiary allyl alcohol (STA) of the formula II:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from H and CH 3 .
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O, with 3<n<7, is a primary homoallyl alcohol (PHA) of the formula Ill:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from H and CH 3 .
5 . The method of claim 1 which is carried out in vitro.
6 . The method of claim 1 characterized in that the method is carried by making use of a microorganism producing an alkenol dehydratase.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the microorganism is capable of producing a compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O, with 3<n<7.
8 . Use of an alkenol dehydratase or of a microorganism producing an alkenol dehydratase for converting a compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O into C n H 2n-2 +H 2 0, with 3<n<7.
9 . A composition comprising an organism which produces an alkenol dehydratase and a compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O, with 3<n<7.
10 . A composition comprising an alkenol dehydratase and a compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O, with 3<n<7.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the alkenol dehydratase is a protein which comprises the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence which is at least 30% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and which shows the enzymatic activity of converting a compound responding to the general formula C n H 2n O into C n H 2n-2 +H 2 0, with 3<n<7.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein n is 4 and the produced diene compound is butadiene.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein n is 5 and the produced diene compound is isoprene.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein n is 6 and the produced diene compound is dimethyl-butadiene.