An improved racemase/acylase biotransformation for the preparation of enantiomerically pure amino acids.
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Baxter S, Royer S, Grogan G, Brown F, Holt-Tiffin KE, Taylor IN, Fotheringham IG, Campopiano DJ
An improved racemase/acylase biotransformation for the preparation of enantiomerically pure amino acids.
J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Nov 28;134(47):19310-3. doi: 10.1021/ja305438y. Epub 2012 Nov 15.
- PubMed ID
- 23130969 [ View in PubMed]
- Abstract
Using directed evolution, a variant N-acetyl amino acid racemase (NAAAR G291D/F323Y) has been developed with up to 6-fold higher activity than the wild-type on a range of N-acetylated amino acids. The variant has been coupled with an enantiospecific acylase to give a preparative scale dynamic kinetic resolution which allows 98% conversion of N-acetyl-DL-allylglycine into D-allylglycine in 18 h at high substrate concentrations (50 g L(-1)). This is the first example of NAAAR operating under conditions which would allow it to be successfully used on an industrial scale for the production of enantiomerically pure alpha-amino acids. X-ray crystal analysis of the improved NAAAR variant allowed a comparison with the wild-type enzyme. We postulate that a network of novel interactions that result from the introduction of the two side chains is the source of improved catalytic performance.