Efficient production of (R)-o-chloromandelic acid by deracemization of o-chloromandelonitrile with a new nitrilase mined from Labrenzia aggregata

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012 Jul;95(1):91-9. doi: 10.1007/s00253-012-3993-4. Epub 2012 Mar 28.

Abstract

(R)-o-Chloromandelic acid is the key precursor for the synthesis of Clopidogrel®, a best-selling cardiovascular drug. Although nitrilases are often used as an efficient tool in the production of α-hydroxy acids, there is no practical nitrilase specifically developed for (R)-o-chloromandelic acid. In this work, a new nitrilase from Labrenzia aggregata (LaN) was discovered for the first time by genomic data mining, which hydrolyzed o-chloromandelonitrile with high enantioselectivity, yielding (R)-o-chloromandelic acid in 96.5% ee. The LaN was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), purified, and its catalytic properties were studied. When o-chloromandelonitrile was used as the substrate, the V(max) and K(m) of LaN were 2.53 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ protein and 0.39 mM, respectively, indicating its high catalytic efficiency. In addition, a study of substrate spectrum showed that LaN prefers to hydrolyze arylacetonitriles. To relieve the substrate inhibition and to improve the productivity of LaN, a biphasic system of toluene-water (1:9, v/v) was adopted, in which o-chloromandelonitrile of 300 mM (apparent concentration, based on total volume) could be transformed by LaN in 8 h, giving an isolated yield of 94.5%. The development of LaN makes it possible to produce (R)-o-chloromandelic acid by deracemizing o-chloromandelonitrile with good ee value and high substrate concentration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aminohydrolases / genetics
  • Aminohydrolases / metabolism*
  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Catalysis
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Hydrolysis
  • Kinetics
  • Mandelic Acids / chemistry
  • Mandelic Acids / metabolism*
  • Nitriles / chemistry
  • Nitriles / metabolism*
  • Rhodobacteraceae / enzymology*
  • Rhodobacteraceae / genetics

Substances

  • Mandelic Acids
  • Nitriles
  • Aminohydrolases
  • nitrilase