Biocatalytic synthesis of (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ethyl ester using a recombinant whole-cell catalyst

A cofactor regeneration system for enzymatic biosynthesis was constructed by coexpressing a carbonyl reductase from Pichia stipitis and a glucose dehydrogenase from Bacillus megaterium in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) PlySs. Transformants containing the polycistronic plasmid pET-PII-SD2-AS1-B exhibited an activity of 13.5 U/mg protein with 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate ethyl ester (COBE) as the substrate and an activity of 14.4 U/mg protein with glucose as the substrate; NAD(H) was the coenzyme in both cases. Asymmetric reduction of COBE to (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ethyl ester [(S)-CHBE] with more than 99% enantiomeric excess was demonstrated by transformants. Furthermore, the paper made a comparison of crude enzyme catalysis and whole-cell catalysis in an aqueous monophasic system and a water/organic solvent biphasic system. In the water/n-butyl acetate system, the coexpression system produced 1,398 mM CHBE in the organic phase, which is the highest yield ever reported for CHBE production by NADH-dependent reductases from yeasts. In this case, the molar yield of CHBE was 90.7%, and the total turnover number, defined as moles (S)-CHBE formed per mole NAD+, was 13,980.     

Enzymatic production of ethyl (R )-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate: asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate by an Escherichia coli transformant expressing the aldehyde reductase gene from yeast

The asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) to ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate (CHBE) using Escherichia coli JM109 (pKAR) cells expressing the aldehyde reductase gene from Sporobolomyces salmonicolor AKU4429 as a catalyst was studied. The reduction required NADP⁺, glucose and glucose dehydrogenase for NADPH regeneration. In an aqueous system, the substrate was unstable, and inhibition of the reaction by the substrate was also observed. Efficient conversion of COBE to (R)-CHBE with a satisfactory enantiomeric excess (ee) was attained on incubation with transformant cells in an n-butyl acetate/water two-phase system containing the above NADPH-regeneration system. Under the optimized conditions, with the periodical addition of COBE, glucose and glucose dehydrogenase, the (R)-CHBE yield reached 1530 mM (255 mg/ml) in the organic phase, with a molar conversion yield of 91.1% and an optical purity of 91% ee. The calculated turnover of NADP⁺, based on the amounts of NADP⁺ added and CHBE formed, was about 5100 mol/mol. Received: 26 May 1997 / Received revision: 16 July 1997 / Accepted: 29 August 1997     

Stereoselective Reduction of Ethyl 4-Chloro-3-Oxobutanoate by a Microbial Aldehyde Reductase in an Organic Solvent-Water Diphasic System

Enzyme-catalyzed asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate in an organic solvent-water diphasic system was studied. NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase isolated from Sporobolomyces salmonicolor AKU4429 and glucose dehydrogenase were used as catalysts for reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate and recycling of NADPH, respectively, in this system. In an aqueous system, the substrate was unstable. Inhibition of the reaction and inactivation of the enzymes by the substrate and the product were also observed. An n-butyl acetate-water diphasic system very efficiently overcame these limitations. In a 1,600-ml−1,600-ml scale diphasic reaction, ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate (0.80 mol; 86% enantiomeric excess) was produced from the corresponding oxoester in a molar yield of 95.4% with an NADPH turnover of 5,500 mol/mol.     

Microbial asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to optically active ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate

Summary The synthesis of ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate through the asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate with the NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase ofSporobolomyces salmonicolor AKU 4429 is described. Under preparative scale reaction conditions with the acetone-fractionated aldehyde reductase, the amount of ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate reached 33.1 mg/ml (85%ee; molar yield, 74.0%). Furthermore, conversion to ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate occurred on incubation with washed cells ofTrichosporon cutaneum AKU 4864 as the catalyst.     

A novel carbonyl reductase from Pichia stipitis for the production of ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate

An NADPH-dependent carbonyl reductase (PsCR) gene from Pichia stipitis was cloned. It contains an open reading frame of 849 bp encoding 283 amino acids whose sequence had less than 60% identity to known reductases that produce ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoates (S-CHBE). When expressed in Escherichia coli, the recombinant PsCR exhibited an activity of 27 U/mg using ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) as a substrate. Reduction of COBE to (S)-CHBE by transformants in an aqueous mono-phase system for 18 h, gave a molar yield of 94% and an optical purity of the (S)-isomer of more than 99% enantiomeric excess.     

Construction of a two-strain system for asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ethyl ester

Escherichia coli M15 (pQE30-car0210) was constructed to express carbonyl reductase (CAR) by cloning the car gene from Candida magnoliae and inserting it into pQE30. By cultivating E. coli M15 (pQE30-car0210) and M15 (pQE30-gdh0310), 8.2-fold and 12.3-fold enhancements in specific enzymatic activity over the corresponding original strain were achieved, respectively. After separate cultivations, these two strains were then mixed together at appropriate ratio to construct a novel two-strain system, in which M15 (pQE30-car0210) expressed CAR for ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) bioreduction and M15 (pQE30-gdh0310) expressed glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) regeneration. In this complex system, the effects of substrate concentration, the biomass ratio between two strains as well as reaction temperature were investigated for efficient bioreduction. The results showed that the bioreduction reaction could be completed effectively without any addition of GDH or NADPH/NADP⁺. An optical purity of 99% (enantiometric efficiency) was obtained, and the yield of (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ethyl ester reached 96.6% when initial concentration of COBE was 36.9 mM. The coupling reactions between two different strains were further explored by determining the profile of NADPH in the reaction broth.     

A Novel Reductase from Candida albicans for the Production of Ethyl (S)-4-Chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate

A novel NADPH-dependent reductase (CaCR) from Candida albicans was cloned for the first time. It catalyzed asymmetric reduction to produce ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ((S)-CHBE). It contained an open reading frame of 843 bp encoding 281 amino acids. When co-expressed with a glucose dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli, recombinant CaCR exhibited an activity of 5.7 U/mg with ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) as substrate. In the biocatalysis of COBE to (S)-CHBE, 1320 mM (S)-CHBE was obtained without extra NADP⁺/NADPH in a water/butyl acetate system, and the optical purity of the (S)-isomer was higher than 99% enantiomeric excess.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (S)-ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate using Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330

Asymmetric reduction of ethyl-4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to (S)-ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate in aqueous medium by resting cells of Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 was optimized. The influence of culture parameters (inoculum size, inoculum age and biocatalyst harvest time) and reaction parameters (co-substrate, resting cell, pH and substrate concentrations) on the asymmetric reduction were studied. It was found that these parameters significantly influenced the rate of the asymmetric reduction. Under the optimum conditions, the final concentration of (S)-ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate, enantiomeric excess and the isolated yield of (S)-ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate were 1.38 M (230 g/l), >99 and 95%, respectively. The space time yield was 115 mmol/lh, which is significantly higher than other whole cell biocatalysts reported so far.     

Asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to ethyl (<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate with two co-existing,recombinant<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Escherichia coli</Emphasis> strains

Two recombinant strains, E. coli M15 (pQE30-alr0307) and E. coli M15 (pQE30-gdh0310), which were constructed to express, respectively, an NADPH-dependent aldehyde reductase gene and a glucose dehydrogenase gene, were mixed in an appropriate ratio and used for the asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate. The former strain acted as catalyst and the latter functioned in NADPH regeneration. The biotransformation was completed effectively without any addition of glucose dehydrogenase or NADP⁺/NADPH. An optical purity of 99% (ee) was obtained and the product yield reached 90.5% from 28.5 mM substrate. Revisions requested 27 July 2004/23 September 2004; Revisions received 21 September 2004/29 November 2004     

A novel reductase from Candida albicans for the production of ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate

A novel NADPH-dependent reductase (CaCR) from Candida albicans was cloned for the first time. It catalyzed asymmetric reduction to produce ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ((S)-CHBE). It contained an open reading frame of 843 bp encoding 281 amino acids. When co-expressed with a glucose dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli, recombinant CaCR exhibited an activity of 5.7 U/mg with ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) as substrate. In the biocatalysis of COBE to (S)-CHBE, 1320 mM (S)-CHBE was obtained without extra NADP+/NADPH in a water/butyl acetate system, and the optical purity of the (S)-isomer was higher than 99% enantiomeric excess.     

Synthesis of optically active ethyl 4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate by microbial reduction

 A total of 400 yeast strains were examined for the ability to reduce ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate (COBE) to ethyl 4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate (CHBE) by using acetone-dried cells in the presence of a coenzyme-recycling system in water/n-butyl acetate. We discovered some yeast strains that reduced COBE to (S)-CHBE. Heating of acetone-dried cells of the selected yeast strains increased the optical purity of the product. There may be several enzymes that can reduce COBE stereoselectively in the same yeast cells. The cultured broth of Candida magnoliae accumulated 90 g/l (S)-CHBE (96.6% enantiomeric excess, e.e.) in the presence of glucose, NADP and glucose dehydrogenase in n-butyl acetate. When these cells were heated, the stereoselectivity of the reduction increased to 99% e.e. (S)-CHBE is one of the useful chiral building blocks applicable to the synthesis of some pharmaceuticals. We expect that the cheap and industrial production of this important chiral compound will follow the discovery of this yeast strain. Received: 9 September 1998 / Received last revision: 17 February 1999 / Accepted: 5 March 1999     

Bioconversion of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate by permeabilized fresh brewer’s yeast cells in the presence of allyl bromide

Ethyl(R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate ((R)-CHBE) are obtained by cetyltrimetylammonium bromide (CTAB) permeabilized fresh brewer’s yeast whole cells bioconversion of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE ) in the presence of allyl bromide. The results showed that the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in CTAB permeabilized brewer’s yeast cells increased 525 and 7.9-fold, respectively, compared with that in the nonpermeabilized cells and had high enantioselectivity to convert COBE to (R)-CHBE. As one of co-substrates, glucose-6-phosphate was preprepared using glucose phosphorylation by hexokinase-catalyzed of CTAB permeabilized brewer’s yeast cells. In a two phase reaction system with n-butyl acetate as organic solvent and with 2-propanol and glucose-6-phosphate as co-substrates, the highest (R)-CHBE concentration of 447 mM was obtained with 110–130 g/l of the CTAB permeabilized cells at optimized pH, temperature, feeding rate and the shake speed of 125 r/min. The yield and enantiomeric excess (ee) of (R)-CHBE reached 99.5 and 99%, respectively, within 6 h.     

Stereoselective reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate by Escherichia coli transformant cells coexpressing the aldehyde reductase and glucose dehydrogenase genes

The asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) to ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate [(R)-CHBE] using Escherichia coli cells, which coexpress both the aldehyde reductase gene from Sporobolomyces salmonicolor and the glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) gene from Bacillus megaterium as a catalyst was investigated. In an organic solvent-water two-phase system, (R)-CHBE formed in the organic phase amounted to 1610 mM (268 mg/ml), with a molar yield of 94.1% and an optical purity of 91.7% enantiomeric excess. The calculated turnover number of NADP⁺ to CHBE formed was 13 500 mol/mol. Since the use of E. coli JM109 cells harboring pKAR and pACGD as a catalyst is simple, and does not require the addition of GDH or the isolation of the enzymes, it is highly advantageous for the practical synthesis of (R)-CHBE. Received: 5 October 1998 / Received revision: 16 November 1998 / Accepted: 5 December 1998     

Development of a substrate-coupled biocatalytic process driven by an NADPH-dependent sorbose reductase from Candida albicans for the asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate

A substrate-coupled biocatalytic process was developed based on the reactions catalyzed by an NADPH-dependent sorbose reductase (SOU1) from Candida albicans in which ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) was reduced to (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate [(S)-CHBE], while NADPH was regenerated by the same enzyme via oxidation of sugar alcohols. (S)-CHBE yields of 1,140, 1,150, and 780?mM were obtained from 1,220?mM COBE when sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol were used as co-substrates, respectively. Optimization of COBE and sorbitol proportions resulted in a maximum yield of (S)-CHBE (2,340?mM) from 2,500?mM COBE, and the enantiomeric excess was 99.6?%. The substrate-coupled system driven by SOU1 maintained a stable pH and a robust intracellular NADPH circulation; thus, pH adjustment and addition of extra coenzymes were unnecessary.     

Purification and characterization of a novel keto ester reductase from the green alga, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorella sorokiniana</Emphasis>: comparison of enzymological properties with other microbial keto ester reductases

A novel keto ester reductase (Chlorella sorokiniana keto ester reductase, CSKER) from Chlorella sorokiniana SAG 211-8k cells was purified. The CSKER had a monomeric structure based on gel filtration chromatography (37 kDa) and SDS–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (34 kDa). The purified CSKER showed a high reducing activity with β-keto esters, in particular, ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate and ethyl 2-chloro-3-oxobutanoate. However, the purified enzyme did not show any reducing activity with α-keto esters and 2-chlorobenzoylformamide (aromatic α-keto amide). The CSKER catalyzed the reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate, ethyl 3-oxobutanoate, and methyl 3-oxobutanoate to the corresponding (R)-, (S)-, and (S)-hydroxy ester, respectively, with high enantioselectivity (>99% e.e.), respectively. Furthermore, the reduction of ethyl 2-methyl-3-oxobutanoate by CSKER exclusively yielded the corresponding syn-(2R, 3S)-hydroxy ester. The purified CSKER was inactive with NADH, used instead of NADPH. None of the keto ester-reducing enzymes already isolated from other microorganisms was identical to the CSKER. These results suggested that CSKER is a novel keto ester reductase that has not yet been reported.     

Production of tert-butyl (3R,5S)-6-chloro-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoate using carbonyl reductase coupled with glucose dehydrogenase with high space–time yield

tert-Butyl (3R,5S)-6-chloro-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoate ((3R,5S)-CDHH) is an important chiral intermediate for the synthesis of rosuvastatin. The biotechnological production of (3R,5S)-CDHH is catalyzed from tert-butyl (S)-6-chloro-5-hydroxy-3-oxohexanoate ((S)-CHOH) by a carbonyl reductase, and this synthetic pathway is becoming a primary route for (3R,5S)-CDHH production due to its high enantioselectivity, mild reaction conditions, low cost, process safety, and environmental friendship. However, the requirement of the pyridine nucleotide cofactors, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) limits its economic flexibility. In the present study, a recombinant Escherichia coli strain harboring carbonyl reductase R9M and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) was constructed with high carbonyl reduction activity and cofactor regeneration efficiency. The recombinant E. coli cells were applied for the efficient production of (3R,5S)-CDHH with a substrate conversion of 98.8%, a yield of 95.6% and an enantiomeric excess (e.e.) of >99.0% under 350 g/L of (S)-CHOH after 12 hr reaction. A substrate fed-batch strategy was further employed to increase the substrate concentration to 400 g/L resulting in an enhanced product yield to 98.5% after 12 hr reaction in a 1 L bioreactor. Meanwhile, the space–time yield was 1,182.3 g L⁻¹ day⁻¹, which was the highest value ever reported by a coupled system of carbonyl reductase and glucose dehydrogenase.     

Synthese von 3-Merkapto-3-methylpentan-5-lacton

An NADPH-dependent sorbose reductase from Candida albicans was identified to catalyze the asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE). The activity of the recombinant enzyme toward COBE was 6.2 U/mg. The asymmetric reduction of COBE was performed with two coexisting recombinant Escherichia coli strains, in which the recombinant E. coli expressing glucose dehydrogenase was used as an NADPH regenerator. An optical purity of 99% (e.e.) and a maximum yield of 1240 mM (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate were obtained under an optimal biomass ratio of 1:2. A highest turnover number of 53,900 was achieved without adding extra NADP⁺/NADPH compared with those known COBE-catalytic systems.     

Purification and properties of a carbonyl reductase involved in stereoselective reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate from Cylindrocarpon sclerotigenum IFO 31855

A NADPH-dependent carbonyl reductase (CSCR1) was purified to homogeneity from Cylindrocarpon sclerotigenum IFO 31855. The enzyme catalyzed the stereoselective reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to the corresponding (S)-alcohol with a >99% enantiomer excess. The relative molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 68,000 by gel filtration chromatography and 24,800 on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme had an extremely narrow substrate specificity and it highly reduced conjugated diketone, 2,3-butanedion, in addition to ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate. The enzyme activity was inhibited by HgCl(2) (100%), 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (56%), dicoumarol (42%), and CuSO(4) (46%). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme (P-Q-G-I-P-T-A-S-R-L) showed no apparent similarity with those of other oxidoreductases.     

A new member of the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases superfamily: Purification, characterization and substrate specificity of a recombinant carbonyl reductase from Pichia stipitis

A novel short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases superfamily (SDRs) reductase (PsCR) from Pichia stipitis that produced ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate with greater than 99% enantiomeric excess, was purified to homogeneity using fractional ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography. The enzyme purified from recombinant Escherichia coli had a molecular mass of about 35 kDa on SDS–PAGE and only required NADPH as an electron donor. The K_m value of PsCR for ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate was 4.9 mg/mL and the corresponding V_max was 337 μmol/mg protein/min. The catalytic efficiency value was the highest ever reported for reductases from yeasts. Moreover, PsCR exhibited a medium-range substrate spectrum toward various keto and aldehyde compounds, i.e., ethyl-3-oxobutanoate with a chlorine substitution at the 2 or 4-position, or α,β-diketones. In addition, the activity of the enzyme was strongly inhibited by SDS and β-mercaptoethanol, but not by ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid.     

Synthesis of ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate by immobilized cells using amino acid-modified magnetic nanoparticles

Fe₃O₄-Arg was selected as the optimal carrier due to its high activity recovery of immobilized cells in the preparation of Fe₃O₄-Arg-Cells. The optimal immobilization conditions for the preparation of Fe₃O₄-Arg-Cells were 30 °C, 4 h, pH 7, and 3 g dry yeast. The activity recovery of immobilized cells reached 76.8 %. For a batch reduction in a shaker in an alternating magnetic field, Fe₃O₄-Arg-Cells were used as a catalyst to gain ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate ((R)-CHBE). For further improvement in reduction productivity, a continuous reduction in the magnetic fluidized bed reactor system (MFBRS) was completed. Under their optimal transformation conditions, it took 24 h for Fe₃O₄-Arg-Cells to complete the conversion of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE) (0.8553 mol/L) in the shaker and only 8 h for the batch reduction in an alternating magnetic field. Continuous reduction in MFBRS provided new ideas for the efficient production of (R)-CHBE; 1.5882 mol/L (10 mL) of COBE can be completely converted in 6 h. The conversion and enantiomeric excess (e.e.) of (R)-CHBE were 100 % and above 99.9 % respectively, in the three reaction systems mentioned above.