Microbial transformations of ferulic acid by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pseudomonas fluorescens

The ferulic acid degradative pathway followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated. Metabolites were isolated by solid-phase extraction and analyzed by thin-layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. Based on the analysis, a new mechanism for decarboxylation of ferulic acid is proposed. The proposed mechanism is nonoxidative, and was carried out by both organisms in media containing deuterium dioxide.