MICROBIAL CONVERSION OF DL-5-SUBSTITUTED HYDANTOINS TO THE CORRESPONDING L-AMINO-ACIDS BY PSEUDOMONAS SP STRAIN-NS671

A bacterial strain, NS671, which converts DL-5-(2-methylthioethyl)hydantoin stereospecifically to L-methionine, was isolated from soil and was classified into the genus Pseudomonas. With growing cells of Pseudomonas sp. strain NS671, DL-5-(2-methylthioethyl)hydantoin was effectively converted to L-methionine. Under adequate conditions, 34 g of L-methionine per liter was produced with a molar yield of 93% from DL-5-(2-methylthioethyl)hydantoin added succeSSively. In addition to L-methionine, other amino acids such as L-valine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-phenylalanine were also produced from the corresponding 5-substituted hydantoins, but these L-amino acids produced were partially consumed by strain NS671. The hydantoinase, by which 5-substituted hydantoin rings are opened, was ATP-dependent. The N-carbamyl-amino acid amidohydrolase was found to be Strictly L-specific, and its activity was inhibited by high concentration of ATP.