Preparation of d-amino acids by enzymatic kinetic resolution using a mutant of penicillin-G acylase from E. coli

We have demonstrated for the first time that d-glutamine (d-Gln) and d-glutamic acid (d-Glu) can be efficiently obtained in high ee (97% and 90%, respectively) by enzymatic kinetic resolution of d,l-Gln and d,l-Glu. This was achieved by enantioselective conversion of the l-enantiomers to their N-phenylacetyl derivatives in aqueous solution, using a mutant of penicillin-G acylase (PGA) from E. coli and phenylacetic acid methylester as the acyl donor. Kinetic modeling studies suggest that the high ee values obtained are both due to a strong enantiopreference for the l-amino acid in the deacylation step of the covalent enzyme intermediate, as well as to completeness of conversion that is transiently obtained as a result of the distinct preference of the mutant PGA for phenylacetic acid methylester over the N-phenylacetyl-l-amino acid product. For the other amino acids tested (Asn, Asp, and Ser), the highest ee values that were obtained for the remaining d-enantiomer are moderate (50–80%) because of lower enantioselectivity in the enzyme deacylation step and due to less complete conversion of the l-amino acid caused by competition for the active site between the acyl donor and the N-phenylacetyl-l-amino acid that is produced. The results demonstrate that the mutated PGA has great potential for the production of optically active d-amino acids by kinetic resolution.

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