Production of 2-phenylethylamine by Decarboxylation of L-phenylalanine in Alkaliphilic Bacillus Cohnii

Cellular polyamine fraction of alkaliphilic Bacillus species was analyzed by HPLC. 2-Phenylethylamine was found selectively and ubiquitously in the five strains belonging to Bacillus cohnii within 27 alkaliphilic Bacillus strains. A large amount of this aromatic amine was produced by the decarboxylation of L-phenylalanine in the bacteria and secreted into the culture medium. The production of 2-phenylethylamine may serve for the chemotaxonomy of alkaliphilic Bacillus.