Multi DHAP-dependent aldolases

The main group of aldolases from the biocatalytic point of view is, arguably, the one that uses dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) as donor. Here, we will concentrate on that appHcations in which DHAP-dependent aldolase are part of a multi-enzyme system or, alternatively, on those in which the aldolase-catalyzed reaction is key in a multi-step synthetic pathway. 

DHAP-dependent aldolases have also been used as key step in the synthesis of several complex natural products starting from achiral precursors. Thus, the sex pheromone (+)-exo-brevicomin can be synthesized in a multi-step route starting with the stereospecific aldol addition between DHAP and 5-oxohexanal or its 5-dithiane-protected analog catalyzed by FBPA from rabbit muscle ( RAMA ) as the key step by which the absolute configuration of the target is estabUshed (Scheme 4.16) [40]. 

The use of this enzyme in multi-step synthesis is relatively recent. Clapes et al. have reported the first example of FSA-mediated synthesis of iminocyclitols [53]. The synthetic strategy is similar to the one previously described for DHAP-dependent aldolases without the need for the dephosphorylation step. AldoUc reaction of DHA with N-Cbz-3-aminopropanal catalyzed by FSA followed by selective catalytic reductive aminahon furnishes the naturally occurring imino-sugar D-fagomine (Scheme 4.22). 

Although TA from yeast is commercially available, it has rarely been used in organic synthesis applications, and no detailed study of substrate specificity has yet been performed. This is presumably due to high enzyme cost and also since the reaction equilibrium is near unity, resulting in the formation of a 50 50 mixture of products. In addition the stereochemistry accessible by TA catalysis matches that of FruA DHAP-dependent aldolase and the latter is a more convenient system to work with. In one application, TA was used in the synthesis D-fructose from starch.113 The aldol moiety was transferred from Fru 6-P to D-glyceraldehyde in the final step of this multi-enzyme synthesis of D-fructose (Scheme 5.60). This process was developed because the authors could not identify a phosphatase that was specific for fructose 6-phosphate and TA offered an elegant method to bypass the need for phosphatase treatment. 

---