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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #228234
Title: Biotransformations of 2-methylisoborneol by camphor-degrading bacteria.

Author
item Eaton, Richard
item SANDUSKY, PETER - TULANE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/28/2008
Publication Date: 2/1/2009
Citation: Eaton, R.W., Sandusky, P. 2009. Biotransformations of 2-methylisoborneol by camphor-degrading bacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 75:583-588.

Interpretive Summary: 2-Methylisoborneol (MIB) is a common cause of earthy-musty off-flavor in farm-raised catfish. A practical solution to the MIB problem might be to remove it by treatment with MIB-degrading bacteria. This paper describes three groups of camphor-degrading bacteria that are also able to completely eliminate MIB. Metabolism of MIB by representative strains of the three groups is demonstrated, and metabolites are identified. These metabolites lack the odor of MIB.

Technical Abstract: Many camphor-degrading bacteria that are able to transform 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) have been identified. Three strains representative of these, have been examined in detail. Rhodococcus ruber T1 metabolizes camphor through 6-hydroxycamphor, but converts MIB to 2,3-dihydroxy-2-methylbornane. Pseudomonas putida G1 which metabolizes camphor through 5-hydroxycamphor, converts MIB primarily to 2,6-dihydroxy-2-methylbornane. Rhodococcus wratislaviensis DLC-cam converts MIB through 2,5-dihydroxy-2-methylbornane to 5-keto-2-methylisoborneol. Together, these three strains produce metabolites resulting from hydroxylation at all of the three available methylene carbons on the six-membered ring of MIB.