Nonproteinogenic α-amino acid preparation using equilibrium shifted transamination

Microbial alpha-transaminases such as tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) and branched chain aminotransferase (BCAT) of Escherichia coli, are useful as industrial biocatalysts to prepare nonproteinogenic L-amino acids from alpha-keto acids and an amino donor. However, they typically yield only 50% product when L-glutamic acid, the preferred amino donor, is used due to accumulated 2-ketoglutaric acid. Accordingly, methods have been sought to increase the reaction yield by the recycle or removal of the keto acid by-product. In this report, we have investigated the biocatalytic coupling of delta-transamination with alpha-transamination to recycle 2-ketoglutaric acid, and thereby increase the yield of aminotransferase reaction products. Ornithine delta-aminotransferase (OAT) catalyses the reversible transfer of the delta-amino group of L-ornithine to 2-ketoglutaric acid forming L-glutamic acid semialdehyde and L-glutamic acid. The cyclisation of L-glutamic acid semialdehyde to form Delta(1)-pyrroline-5-carboxylate under physiological conditions, favours the reaction in the direction of L-glutamic acid formation. The Bacillus subtilis rocD gene encoding OAT was cloned and produced at high levels in E. coli. Combined cell extracts of separate E. coli strains overproducing OAT and E. coli tyrosine aminotransferase enabled the synthesis of L-2-aminobutyrate from 2-ketobutyric acid to reach a yield of 92% compared to 50% achievable by TAT alone. Similarly, combined extracts of strains overproducing OAT and E. coli branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase synthesised L-tert-leucine from trimethylpyruvic acid with a 73% yield compared to 31% with BCAT alone. The use of OAT as a general biocatalytic tool to achieve high yields in aminotransferase reactions is discussed.