Functional analysis of novel microbial curcumin metabolism

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02946
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38060:Applied molecular and cellular biology-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: HASHIMOTO Yoshiteru 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 准教授 (00323254)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小林 達彦 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 教授 (70221976)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 微生物 / 酵素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Curcumin is a plant-derived secondary metabolite exhibiting antitumor, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic activities, and so on. We previously isolated Escherichia coli exhibiting curcumin-converting activity, and discovered an enzyme showing this activity (CurA) and named it NADPH-dependent curcumin/dihydrocurcumin reductase.
In order to elucidate novel microbial metabolic pathways of curcumin, here, we identified new metabolic intermediate metabolites of curcumin, and analyzed another enzyme exhibiting curcumin-converting activity different from that of CurA.

Free Research Field

応用微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

クルクミンの代謝経路・代謝酵素はほぼ未解明の状況であり、本研究により自然界には多様なクルクミン代謝経路の存在が判明しつつある。それらを明らかにする本研究は微生物による天然物代謝系研究分野など基礎的研究の見地で意義深い。
クルクミン自身も生理活性作用をもつが、その代謝産物がさらに強い生理活性作用を示すことが知られている。未知のクルクミン代謝経路や代謝酵素が明らかとなれば、それらを利用した代謝中間化合物の新規生産法の確立が可能であり、応用的見地からも意義深い。