Oxidation of Ethylene GlycoI and Glycolic Acid by Glycerol Oxidase

Abstract

A glycerol oxidase from Aspergillus japonicus oxidized ethylene glycol to glyoxal by the same reaction pathway as alcohol oxidases from methanol yeast. The optimum pH and temperature for the oxidation of ethylene glycol were around 7.0 and 40°C, respectively. Those of glycolaldehyde were similar to those of ethylene glycol. The apparent K_ms for ethylene glycol and glycolaldehyde were 195 and 48.8mM, respectively. The maximum velocities for ethylene glycol and glycolaldehyde were 89.1 and 62.2μmol/min/mg of protein, respectively. Glycerol oxidase also oxidized glycolic acid, which is not oxidized by the alcohol oxidases, to glyoxylic acid like glycolate oxidases from green plants, and the apparent K_m and V_max for glycolic acid were 114mM and 2.68μmol/min/mg of proten, respectively. The glycerol oxidase was applicable to the production of glyoxal and glyoxylic acid.