Isolation, characterization and application of theophylline-degrading Aspergillus fungi.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Caffeine, theobromine and theophylline are main purine alkaloid in tea. Theophylline is the downstream metabolite and it remains at a very low level in Camellia sinensis. In our previous study, Aspergillus sydowii could convert caffeine into theophylline in solid-state fermentation of pu-erh tea through N-demethylation. In this study, tea-derived fungi caused theophylline degradation in the solid-state fermentation. The purpose of this study is identify and isolate theophylline-degrading fungi and investigate their application in production of methylxanthines with theophylline as feedstock through microbial conversion. RESULTS:Seven tea-derived fungi were collected and identified by ITS, ?-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus tamarii, Aspergillus niger and A. sydowii associated with solid-state fermentation of pu-erh tea have shown ability to degrade theophylline in liquid culture. Particularly, A. ustus and A. tamarii could degrade theophylline highly significantly (p?

SUBMITTER: Zhou B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7082937 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature