Production of p-acetaminophenol by whole-cell catalysis using Escherichia coli overexpressing bacterial aryl acylamidase

Aryl acylamidase (EC 3. 5. 1. 13, AAA) acts on the amide bond between aryl and acyl groups. Whole cells of Escherichia coli overexpressing a novel bacterial AAA synthesized p-acetaminophenol (p-AAP) from p-aminophenol (p-AP, aryl compound) and acetate (acyl donor). Optimum conditions were pH 5.5 and 35°C with 100 mM p-AP and 600 mM sodium acetate in 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer including 1% (v/v) Triton X-100 for 60 h. 13.1 g p-AAP l ^-1 was produced with a conversion yield of 87%.