Novel fungal phenylpyruvate reductase belongs to d-isomer-specific 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase family

► We discovered the phenyllactate-producing yeast Wickerhamia fluorescens TK1. ► Phenylpyruvate reductase was purified from the yeast's cell-free extracts. ► The phenylpyruvate reductase uses NADPH, phenylpyruvate, glyoxylate and hydroxypyruvate as substrates. ► Its encoding gene was cloned. ► The protein constitutes a novel group of glyoxylate/hydroxypyruvate reductases.