Synthesis of both enantiomers of ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxbutanoate from a prochiral ketone using Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330

Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 when grown in a medium containing glycerol reduced ethyl-4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to (R)-ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanote (ee >99%, yield: 94%) while glucose and sucrose grown cells yielded (S)-ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanote (ee >99%, yield: 96%). The activity of ethyl-4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate reductase was higher in glucose-grown cells (160 U/g protein) when compared to sucrose (158 U/g protein) and glycerol (22 U/g protein). Both the enantiomers of ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate (ee >99%) can thus be obtained using Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 by altering the carbon source in the growth medium.

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