Gene Cloning, Transcriptional Analysis, Purification, and Characterization of Phenolic Acid Decarboxylase from Bacillus subtilis

Phenolic acids, also called substituted cinnamic acids, are important lignin-related aromatic acids and natural constituents of plant cell walls. These acids (particularly ferulic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids) bind the complex lignin polymer to the hemicellulose and cellulose in plants (1) or are generally esterified with tartaric acid (for example, in grape must, wine, and cider) and can be released as free acids during wine making by some cinnamoyl esterase activities (9). Most often, free phenolic acids are metabolized by different microorganisms into 4-vinyl derivatives and then are eventually reduced into 4-ethyl derivatives (5, 6). Some of these volatile phenols, particularly vinyl …