4-Hydroxycinnamate decarboxylase is an

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

that uses ''p''-coumaric acid to produce

4-ethylphenol Ethylphenol (4-EP) is an organic compound with the formula C2H5C6H4OH. It is one of three isomeric ethylphenols. A white solid, it occurs as an impurity in xylenols and as such is used in the production of some commercial phenolic resins. It is ...

. ''p''-Coumaric acid is the precursor of

produced by the

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...

Saccharomyces ''Saccharomyces'' is a genus of fungi that includes many species of yeasts. ''Saccharomyces'' is from Greek σάκχαρον (sugar) and μύκης (fungus) and means ''sugar fungus''. Many members of this genus are considered very important in f ...

'' and '' Brettanomyces'' in wine. The yeast converts this to 4-vinylphenol via the enzyme cinnamate decarboxylase. 4-Hydroxycinnamate decarboxylase can also be induced in bacteria species such as ''

Klebsiella oxytoca ''Klebsiella oxytoca'' is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is closely related to ''K. pneumoniae'', from which it is distinguished by being indole-positive; it also has slightly different growth characteristics in that it is able to gro ...

'' and works also with p-coumaric acid analogs such as caffeic acid, ferulic acid and E-

2,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid Umbellic acid (2,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is a hydroxycinnamic acid. It is an isomer of caffeic acid. It is a precursor in the umbelliferone biosynthesis pathway. Umbelliferone is a phenylpropanoid and as such is synthesized from L-phenylalanin ...

References

See also