Could Organic Solvents Be Used for the Alteration of Flux of Hydrophobic Intermediates through a Metabolic Pathway in Microorganisms\ulcorner

The addition of decane to biotransfonnation media containing Yarrowia lipolytica led to the accumulation of intennediate L-phenylacetaldehyde and L-phenethyl acetate during bioconversion of L-phenylalanine, whilst none of these products were obtained in conventional aqueous fennentations. The results obtained support an earlier hypothesis (Spinnler et al. 1996. Proc. Natl. A cad. Sci. USA 93: 3373-3376) that organic solvents, acting as "thermodynamic traps" for hydrophobic intermediates, can substantially alter metabolic fluxes.