Decarboxylative Conversion of Hydroxycinnamic Acids to Hydroxystyrenes by Polyporus circinata

Abstract

When placed in contact with the substrate, whole cells of P. circinata that had been grown in the absence of substrate rapidly degraded 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid, strongly suggesting that decarboxylase is constitutive. The reaction resembled that reported for some bacteria. Decarboxylation of hydroxycinnamic acids had not been previously reported for fungi other than yeasts.