MICROBIAL-DEGRADATION OF THE MORPHINE ALKALOIDS - IDENTIFICATION OF MORPHINONE AS AN INTERMEDIATE IN THE METABOLISM OF MORPHINE BY PSEUDOMONAS-PUTIDA M10

A strain of Pseudomonas putida was isolated by selective enrichment with morphine that was capable of utilising morphine as a primary source of carbon and energy for growth. Experiments with whole cells showed that both morphine and codeine, but not thebaine, could be utilised. A novel NADP-dependent dehydrogenase, morphine dehydrogenase, was purified from crude cell extracts and was shown to be capable of oxidising morphine and codeine to morphinone and codeinone, respectively. This NADP-dependent morphine dehydrogenase was not observed in any other species of pseudomonads examined and was quite distinct from the β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase found in Pseudomonas testosteroni, which had previously been shown to have activity against morphine. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.