The present invention relates to the production of vanillin via the bioconversion of isoeugenol. The bioconversion can be mediated in a cellular system (e.g., an Escherichia coli bacterium), or in an enzymatic reaction mixture without a cellular system.

Recombinant microorganisms that catabolize lignin aromatics, such as -5 linked lignin aromatics, and methods of using same to catabolize the lignin aromatics.