Microbiological transformation of flavone and isoflavone

Abstract

1. Flavone and isoflavone were subjected to microbial transformation studies. Screening with 80 fungal species showed that flavone was transformed by a large number of microorganisms and in higher yields than isoflavone.

2. Large-scale fermentations of flavone followed by isolation and characterization of metabolites using spectroscopic analysis showed the formation of 4′-hydroxyflavone, 3′,4′-dihydroxyflavone and two cleavage products identified as o-hydroxyphenyl-hydroxymethyl ketone and 1-(o-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-ethanediol. However, fermentation of isoflavone gave only 4′-hydroxyisoflavone and 3′,4′-dihydroxyisoflavone.