Highly efficient synthesis of chiral alcohols with a novel NADH-dependent reductase from Streptomyces coelicolor

► A new carbonyl reductase was discovered by genome data mining. ► The enzyme asymmetrically reduced a broad range of prochiral carbonyl compounds. ► ScCR is a competitive catalyst for (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate synthesis. ► ScCR uses 2-propanol as a co-substrate for NADH regeneration.