title: Enzymatic synthesis of L-norephedrine by coupling recombinant pyruvate decarboxylase and ω-transaminase.
abstract: L-Norephedrine, a natural plant alkaloid, possesses similar activity as ephedrine and can be used as a vicinal amino alcohol for the asymmetric synthesis of a variety of optically pure compounds, including pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agrochemicals. Because of the existence of two asymmetric centers, efficient synthesis of L-norephedrine has been challenging. In the present study, an R-selective pyruvate decarboxylase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and an S-selective ω-transaminase from Vibrio fluvialis JS17 were coupled to develop a sequential process for the stereoselective biosynthesis of L-norephedrine. After systematic optimization of the reaction conditions, a green, economic, and practical biocatalytic method to prepare L-norephedrine was established to achieve de and ee values of greater than 99.5 % and a molar yield over 60 %. The present coupling approach can facilitate the development of sequential reactions by various biocatalysts.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Laboratory of Chemical Biology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia St., Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210009, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xuri
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Mengdan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zongqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yijun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D010665:Phenylpropanolamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011767:Pyruvate Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology*; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014733:Vibrio / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D010665:Phenylpropanolamine; D000637:Transaminases; D011767:Pyruvate Decarboxylase