Production of volatile dienes by enzymatic dehydration of light alkenols

Abstract

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.