US Patent 10392673 Method of producing (-)-rotundone

The present invention provides a method of producing (−)-rotundone from α-guaiene. The method includes the steps of: (1) allowing a cytochrome P450 protein to act on α-guaiene, which cytochrome P450 belongs to the CYP152 family and is capable of oxidizing the methylene group at position 3 of α-guaiene to the carbonyl group; and/or (2) allowing a cytochrome P450 protein to act on α-guaiene in the presence of an electron transfer protein capable of transferring electrons to the cytochrome P450 protein, which cytochrome P450 belongs to the CYP152, CYP106, or CYP107 family and is capable of oxidizing the methylene group at position 3 of α-guaiene to the carbonyl group.