Microbial Transformation of (+)-α-Pinene to (+)-Verbenone by Resting Cell Suspension of Cladosporium Cladosporides

Biotransformation of (+)-α-pinene to (+)-verbenone using shaking cultures of Cladosporium cladosporides (MTCC 1003) was investigated. Cladosporium cladosporides showed specific transformation of (+)-α-pinene with 86.8±3.0% conversion (relative integrated area gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS)) of (+)-verbenone in 7 day incubation. The amount of verbenone formed was observed at 1, 3, 5 and 7th day where it is gradually increased. Verbenol was formed as intermediate product and slowly biocatalyzed to verbenone.