OPTIMISING THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL DEHYDROLASE FROM Microbacterium oxydans ECU2010 FOR ENANTIOSELECTIVE OXIDATION OF RACEMIC 1-PHENYLETHANOL.

A novel microbial strain Microbacterium oxydans with high alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity and enantioselectivity was isolated from soil, through an effective screening procedure in which rac-1-phenylethanol was supplied as the sole carbon and energy source. After series optimization of fermentation, the biosynthesis of the ADH in Microbacterium oxydans reached a maximum of 120 U/l at 30 h of cultivation and the activity retained for considerable time (5 days). In the gram preparative biooxidation of 50 mM rac-1-phenylethanol using resting cells of Microbacterium oxydans, (S)-(-)-1-phenylethanol (>99.5% enantiomeric excess (e.e.), 40.1% yield) and acetophenone (34.6% yield) were obtained, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]