title: Efficient conversion of phenylpyruvic acid to phenyllactic acid by using whole cells of Bacillus coagulans SDM.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Phenyllactic acid (PLA), a novel antimicrobial compound with broad and effective antimicrobial activity against both bacteria and fungi, can be produced by many microorganisms, especially lactic acid bacteria. However, the concentration and productivity of PLA have been low in previous studies. The enzymes responsible for conversion of phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) into PLA are equivocal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A novel thermophilic strain, Bacillus coagulans SDM, was isolated for production of PLA. When the solubility and dissolution rate of PPA were enhanced at a high temperature, whole cells of B. coagulans SDM could effectively convert PPA into PLA at a high concentration (37.3 g l(-1)) and high productivity (2.3 g l(-1) h(-1)) under optimal conditions. Enzyme activity staining and kinetic studies identified NAD-dependent lactate dehydrogenases as the key enzymes that reduced PPA to PLA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taking advantage of the thermophilic character of B. coagulans SDM, a high yield and productivity of PLA were obtained. The enzymes involved in PLA production were identified and characterized, which makes possible the rational design and construction of microorganisms suitable for PLA production with metabolic engineering.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhaojuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Cuiqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Fengsong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiayang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Haiwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007700:Kinetics; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D010667:Phenylpyruvic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D010667:Phenylpyruvic Acids; D009243:NAD; D019344:Lactic Acid; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; C031606:phenylpyruvic acid