Biocatalytic Production of a Potent Inhibitor of Adipocyte Differentiation from Phloretin Using Engineered CYP102A1

In this study, we investigated an efficient enzymatic strategy for producing potentially valuable phloretin metabolites from phlorizin, a glucoside of phloretin that is rich in apple pomace. Almond β-glucosidase efficiently removed phlorizin’s glucose moiety to produce phloretin. CYP102A1 engineered by site-directed mutagenesis, domain swapping, and random mutagenesis catalyzed the highly regioselective C-hydroxylation of phloretin into 3-OH phloretin with high conversion yields. Under the optimal hydroxylation conditions of 15 g cells L–1 and a 20 mM substrate for whole-cell biocatalysis, phloretin was regioselectively hydroxylated into 3.1 mM 3-OH phloretin each hour. Furthermore, differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes and lipid accumulation were dramatically inhibited by 3-OH phloretin but promoted by phloretin. Consistent with these inhibitory effects, the expression of adipogenic regulator genes was downregulated by 3-OH phloretin. We propose a platform for the sustainable production and value creation of phloretin metabolites from apple pomace capable of inhibiting adipogenesis.