Enantiocomplementary inverting sec-alkylsulfatase activity in cyano- and thio-bacteria Synechococcus and Paracoccus spp.: selectivity enhancement by medium engineering

Whole resting cells of cyano- and thio-bacteria Synechococcus and Paracoccus spp. were shown to possess inverting alkylsulfatase activity for a broad spectrum of sec-alkylsulfate esters, which furnished either (R)- or (S)-sec-alcohols from the corresponding rac-sulfate esters in an enantiocomplementary fashion. Low enantioselectivities (E-values 1–4) could be dramatically improved by the addition of lower alcohols (e.g., t-BuOH) or by using a biphasic medium containing t-BuOMe (E >200).

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