Isolation, characterization and application of theophylline-degrading Aspergillus fungi
Abstract Background: Caffeine, theobromine and theophylline are main purine alkaloid in tea. Theophylline is the downstream metabolite and stays a very low level in Camellia sinensis. In our previous study, Aspergillus sydowii could convert caffeine into theophylline in solid-state fermentation of tea through N-demethylation. In this study, tea-derived fungi caused theophylline degradation in the solid-state fermentation. The aim of this study was isolate theophylline-degrading fungi and to investigate their application in production of methylxanthines with theophylline as feedstock through microbial conversion. Results: Of seven tea-derived fungi collected and identified by ITS, β-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus tamarii, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus sydowii associated with solid-state fermentation of pu-erh tea have shown ability to degrade theophylline. A. ustus and A. tamarii could degrade theophylline highly significantly (p < 0.01) in liquid culture. 1,3-Dimethyluric acid, 3-methylxanthine, 3-methyluric acid, xanthine and uric acid were detected consecutively by HPLC in A. ustus and A. tamarii respectively. The data from absolute quantification analysis suggest that 3-methylxanthine and xanthine were main degraded metabolites in A. ustus and A. tamarii respectively. 129.48 ± 5.81 mg/L of 3-methylxanthine and 159.11 ± 10.8 mg/L of xanthine were produced by A. ustus and A. tamarii respectively in 300 mg/L of theophylline liquid medium. Conclusions: For the first time, we confirmed that isolated Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus tamarii degrade theophylline through N-demethylation and oxidation. We were able to biologically produce 3-methylxanthine and xanthine efficiently from theophylline through a new microbial synthesis platform with A. ustus and A. tamarii as appropriate starter strains.