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Efficient biotransformation for preparation of pharmaceutically active ginsenoside Compound K by Penicillium oxalicum sp. 68

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Abstract

Pathogenic fungus Penicillium oxalicum sp. 68 was screened from soil and identified by ITS sequencing. The strain was found to be able to transform protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides to produce a series of bioactive metabolites. Glycosidase from the culture of P. oxalicum sp. 68 was partially purified with a simple two-step procedure consisting of DEAE-cellulose chromatography and ammonium sulfate precipitation. Bioactive ginsenoside Compound K was prepared selectively and efficiently by biotransformation of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc and Rd using the partially purified glycosidase. The optimal conditions for transforming Rb1 into Compound K were pH 4.0, 55 °C and 0.5 mg mL−1 Rb1. The sole product is Compound K and the maximum yield reached 87.7 % (molar ratio). The transformation pathways of Rb1, Rb2, Rc and Rd are Rb1→Rd→F2→Compound K, Rb2→CO→CY→Compound K, Rc→Mb→Mc→Compound K and Rd→F2→Compound K, respectively. This biotransformation method showed great potential for preparing minor bioactive ginsenosides, especially Compound K, in the pharmaceutical industry because of its high specificity and favorable environmental compatibility.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 30770489 and 30973857) and the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province (200905106).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, People’s Republic of China

    Juan Gao, Fei Liang, Rutian Jin, Di Wu, Guihua Tai & Yifa Zhou

  2. Plant Protection Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033, People’s Republic of China

    Wenjing Xu

  3. School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Changchun University of Technology, Changchun, 130012, People’s Republic of China

    Qiang Fang

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  1. Juan Gao
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  2. Wenjing Xu
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  3. Qiang Fang
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  4. Fei Liang
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  5. Rutian Jin
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  6. Di Wu
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  7. Guihua Tai
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  8. Yifa Zhou
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Correspondence to Yifa Zhou.

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Gao, J., Xu, W., Fang, Q. et al. Efficient biotransformation for preparation of pharmaceutically active ginsenoside Compound K by Penicillium oxalicum sp. 68. Ann Microbiol 63, 139–149 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-012-0454-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13213-012-0454-3

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