Removal of L-alanine from the production of L-2-aminobutyric acid by introduction of alanine racemase and D-amino acid oxidase

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2011 May;90(3):903-10. doi: 10.1007/s00253-011-3127-4. Epub 2011 Feb 9.

Abstract

L-2-Aminobutyric acid can be synthesized in a transamination reaction from L-threonine and L-aspartic acid as substrates by the action of threonine deaminase and aromatic aminotransferase, but the by-product L-alanine was produced simultaneously. A small amount of L-alanine increased the complexity of the L-2-aminobutyric acid recovery process because of their extreme similarity in physical and chemical properties. Acetolactate synthase has been introduced to remove the pyruvate intermediate for reducing the L-alanine concentration partially. To eliminate the remnant L-alanine, alanine racemase of Bacillus subtilis in combination with D-amino acid oxidase of Rhodotorula gracilis or Trigonopsis variabilis respectively was introduced into the reaction system for the L-2-aminobutyric acid synthesis. L-Alanine could be completely removed by the action of alanine racemase of B. subtilis and D-amino acid oxidase of R. gracilis; thereby, high-purity L-2-aminobutyric acid was achieved. The results revealed that alanine racemase could discriminate effectively between L-alanine and L-2-aminobutyric acid, and selectively catalyzed L-alanine to D-alanine reversibly. D-Amino acid oxidase then catalyzed D-alanine to pyruvate stereoselectively. Furthermore, this method was also successfully used to remove the by-product L-alanine in the production of other neutral amino acids such as L-tertiary leucine and L-valine, suggesting that multienzymatic whole-cell catalysis can be employed to provide high purity products.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / metabolism*
  • Alanine Racemase / genetics
  • Alanine Racemase / metabolism*
  • Aminobutyrates / metabolism*
  • Bacillus subtilis / enzymology*
  • Bacillus subtilis / genetics
  • Bacillus subtilis / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biocatalysis
  • Biotransformation
  • D-Amino-Acid Oxidase / genetics
  • D-Amino-Acid Oxidase / metabolism*
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Rhodotorula / enzymology*
  • Rhodotorula / genetics
  • Rhodotorula / metabolism

Substances

  • Aminobutyrates
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • alpha-aminobutyric acid
  • D-Amino-Acid Oxidase
  • Alanine Racemase
  • Alanine