Figure 1.
![Furfural is converted to furfuryl alcohol by the action of NADH-dependent (1., e.g. FucO in E. coli [28]) or NADPH-dependent (2., e.g. YqhD in E. coli [22]) reductases. In Acinetobacter baylyi (3.), furfuryl alcohol has been observed to be subsequently converted to difurfuryl ether [49]. Alternatively, furfural is oxidised to furoic acid by the action of aldehyde dehydrogenases (4., e.g. ALD6 in S. cerevisiae [60]) or by furfural oxidase (5., e.g. HmfH in Cupriavidus basiliensis [20]). In some organisms (6.), conversion to furoic acid is the first step in a degradation pathway that allows the utilisation of furfural as a carbon source [61].](https://port.silverchair-cdn.com/port/content_public/journal/biochemj/479/10/10.1042_bcj20210811/1/bcj-2021-0811.01.png?Expires=1716552295&Signature=mahVmAH91VGaNA4Ru5ZA2NwmS2ovdXTtDPTKu0hJbhw5tTGtMlbr4RHU~TNCS813872clRFxlTleY758izU43M6MT6QfO3VGdCKmgwl0JuOKdhTx2tjZ4lLPNCLHKG~pRm-ycRcyMBPp2bmCqG51onW4QsUy2PUxkMU5RD8K1nVVCAS6goF4w9boxrZtr5zLr1nxvP02P-iywqfDKfF5n5~8dz9JylCquQp2sFIks9blAyIMpo6pIHf0CPlxeLROlsZhwmwe8EzzLnjbjpxsEvr1lpnkFoJadb4vEj~3pbJphwnoiB1otr7MFPOBiqo36GecRAoO3rsM2nsu80rgJg__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIE5G5CRDK6RD3PGA)
Strategies used by microorganisms for the detoxification of furfural.
Furfural is converted to furfuryl alcohol by the action of NADH-dependent (1., e.g. FucO in E. coli [28]) or NADPH-dependent (2., e.g. YqhD in E. coli [22]) reductases. In Acinetobacter baylyi (3.), furfuryl alcohol has been observed to be subsequently converted to difurfuryl ether [49]. Alternatively, furfural is oxidised to furoic acid by the action of aldehyde dehydrogenases (4., e.g. ALD6 in S. cerevisiae [60]) or by furfural oxidase (5., e.g. HmfH in Cupriavidus basiliensis [20]). In some organisms (6.), conversion to furoic acid is the first step in a degradation pathway that allows the utilisation of furfural as a carbon source [61].