An objective of the present invention is to provide methods for efficiently producing (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol at a high optical purity. Another objective is to provide novel reductases which reduce 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone, using NADPH as a coenzyme, to produce (S) -1- (3, 4-dimethoxyphenyl) -2-propanol with a high optical purity.
The inventors found that a 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone-reducing enzyme present in Torulaspora delbrueckii is a novel carbonyl reductase that reduces various carbonyls. This novel enzyme reduces 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone in a reduction reaction to produce (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol with a high optical purity and at a high yield. Furthermore, the inventors isolated a DNA that encodes the present enzyme, and generated a recombinant bacterium which highly expresses the present enzyme. Thus, the present inventors established a simple and highly economical method of obtaining optically active alcohols with a high optical purity and at a high yield.
本发明的一个目的是提供以高光学纯度高效生产
(S)-1-(3,4-二甲氧基苯基)-2-丙醇的方法。另一个目的是提供新型还原酶,该酶以
NADPH 为辅酶,还原
3,4-二甲氧基苯丙酮,生产出光学纯度高的 (S) -1- (3,4-二
甲氧基苯基) -2-
丙醇。
发明者发现,Torulaspora delbrueckii 中的一种 3,4-二甲氧基
苯基丙酮还原酶是一种新型羰基还原酶,可还原各种羰基。这种新型酶在还原反应中还原 3,4-二甲氧基
苯基丙酮,生成光学纯度高、收率高的
(S)-1-(3,4-二甲氧基苯基)-2-丙醇。此外,本发明者还分离出了编码本酶的 DNA,并产生了高表达本酶的
重组菌。因此,本发明者建立了一种简单而经济的方法,可以获得光学纯度高、收率高的光学活性醇。