Production of 5,8-dihydroxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid from oleic acid by whole recombinant cells of Aspergillus nidulans expressing diol synthase

The optimal conditions for the production of 5,8-dihydroxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid (5,8-diHOME) from oleic acid by whole recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing diol synthase from Aspergillus nidulans were 40 °C, pH 7.5, 10 % (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide, 35 g cells l−1, and 12 g oleic acid l−1 at 250 rpm in a 250 ml baffled flask. Under these conditions, whole recombinant cells produced 5.2 g 5,8-diHOME l−1 together with 1 g l−1 of the intermediate 8-hydroperoxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid (8-HPOME) after 60 min. This corresponded to a conversion yield of 43 % (w/w), a volumetric productivity of 5.2 g l−1 h−1, and a specific productivity of 148 mg g cells−1 h−1. This is the first report of the biotechnological production of 5,8-diHOME from oleic acid.