Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 2003-10-21

The first fluorogenic assay for detecting a Baeyer-Villigerase activity in microbial cells.

María C Gutiérrez, Arthur Sleegers, Helen D Simpson, Véronique Alphand, Roland Furstoss

Index: Org. Biomol. Chem. 1(20) , 3500-3506, (2003)

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Abstract

The first fluorogenic assay allowing for detection of microbial enzymes able to perform Baeyer-Villiger oxidation is described. This is based on the use of 4-oxopentyl umbelliferyl ether 1 as a fluorogenic substrate. When Baeyer-Villigerases active against this test ketone are present in the selected whole cells, 1 is transformed into 3-hydroxypropyl umbelliferyl ether 3, which, in a subsequent step, releases the fluorescent product umbelliferone. Different microorganisms, known to be endowed with Baeyer-Villigerase activity, were assayed.