Whole-cell systems

Research conducted by Simons using antiglucocorticoids, including compounds which covalentiy bind to the GR (124), eg, dexamethasone 21-mesylate, has better defined the stmcture and function of the GR. Spiro C-17 oxetanes have shown potent antiglucocorticoid activity in whole cell systems (125,126). 

H. G. Davies, R. H. Green, D. R. Kelly, and S. M. Roberts, Bio-Transformations in Preparative Organic Chemisty The Use of Isolated Enymes and Whole-Cell Systems in Synthesis, Academic Press, London, 1989. 

Whole-cell Systems and Enzymes other than Lipases in Ionic Liquids... 

An alternative approach involves testing of new drug entities on whole-cell systems and measuring effects on integrated cellular pathways. Favorable phenotypic responses are identified with this approach that may better produce alteration of multicomponent disease processes. 

Hydantoinases belong to the E.C.3.5.2 group of cyclic amidases, which catalyze the hydrolysis of hydantoins [4,54]. As synthetic hydantoins are readily accessible by a variety of chemical syntheses, including Strecker reactions, enantioselective hydantoinase-catalyzed hydrolysis offers an attractive and general route to chiral amino acid derivatives. Moreover, hydantoins are easily racemized chemically or enzymatically by appropriate racemases, so that dynamic kinetic resolution with potential 100% conversion and complete enantioselectivity is theoretically possible. Indeed, a number of such cases using WT hydantoinases have been reported [54]. However, if asymmetric induction is poor or ifinversion ofenantioselectivity is desired, directed evolution can come to the rescue. Such a case has been reported, specifically in the production of i-methionine in a whole-cell system ( . coli) (Figure 2.13) [55]. 

P-Lactamases (EC 3.5.2.6) produced by bacteria cleave the P-lactam ring and are responsible for their resistance to P-lactam antibiotics. Lactamases are useful catalysts for the enantioselective hydrolysis of P-lactams and other cyclic amides. P-lactams shown in Figure 6.40 were resolved by whole-cell systems containing an amidase [106]. 

Several suitable whole-cell systems have been identified for deracemization biotransformations on a large diversity of substrates, as compiled recently [48]. In particular, heterocyclic alcohols were successfully converted by Sphingomonas [55]. Access to enantiocomplementaiy products was achieved with various strains of Aspergillus [56] or Rhizopus [57]. Biotransformations can even be accomplished with yacon and ginger [58]. Substrate titers were reported up to 8gl for Candida parapsUosis mediated biotransformations [59]. 

Fig. 2. Whole cell biocatalytic reactions for four types of recombinant whole cell systems. Bioconversion reactions were performed in resting cell condition. All data were based on unit cell concentration (1 mg-dry cell weight ml ). Each value and error bar represents the mean of two independent experiments and its standard deviation.

It is only recently that isolated enzymes have been used in the presence of appropriate cofactor recycling systems.14 Not long ago, application of the whole-cell system was the only way to get high yields and high ee in enzyme-catalyzed organic synthesis. 

Enzyme reductions of carbonyl groups have important applications in the synthesis of chiral compounds (as described in Chapter 10). Dehydrogenases are enzymes that catalyse, for example, the reduction of carbonyl groups they require co-factors as their co-substrates. Dehydrogenase-catalysed transformations on a practical scale can be performed with purified enzymes or with whole cells, which avoid the use of added expensive co-factors. Bakers yeast is the whole cell system most often used for the reduction of aldehydes and ketones. Biocatalytic activity can also be used to reduce carbon carbon double bonds. Since the enzymes for this reduction are not commercially available, the majority of these experiments were performed with bakers yeast1 41. 

Whole-cell biocatalysts, organic solvents and, 16 412-413 Whole cells, 3 669-671 Whole-cell systems ionic liquids in, 26 897 Whole cluster pressing in white wine, 26 311 Whole-wheat flour, 26 279, 283 Whole yeast vaccines, 26 488 Who needs it concept, 24 190 Wicking limit, heat pipe, 13 230 Wicks... 

The second general approach is to use whole cells that contain the enzyme or enzymes used in the biocatalytic process. The use of whole cells has the added advantage that coenzyme-dependent enzymes can be used because it is possible to regenerate the relevant coenzyme, through metabolism of the whole cells. This, of course, requires that the whole cells are not only physically intact but also meta-bolically active. Since coenzymes are often involved in building new molecules, industrial biocatalysis typically uses whole-cell systems. 

In nature, NANA arises through condensation of phosphoenolpyruvic acid with A-acetyl-D-mannosamine (NAM) catalysed by the biosynthetic enzyme NANA synthase. Owing to the labile nature of phosphoenolpyruvate, the use of this reaction in the synthesis of NANA has been limited to whole-cell systems where this substance can be generated biosynthetically in situ Most recently, the NANA synthase reaction forms the basis of fermentation processes for total biosynthesis of NANA. ... 

Unlike the whole-cell system, enzymatic reductions require the addition of a hydride donating cofactor to regenerate the reduced form of the enzyme. Depending on the chosen ADH, the cofactor is usually NADH or NADPH, both of which are prohibitively expensive for use in stoichiometric quantities at scale. Given the criticality of cofactor cost, numerous methods of in situ cofactor regeneration, both chemical and biocatalytic, have been investigated. However, only biocatalytic regeneration has so far proven to be sufficiently selective to provide the cofactor total turnover numbers of at least 10 required in production. 

In recent years, numerous applications of such peroxidase-catalyzed oxidative coupling of phenols and aromatic amines have been reported (Table 7). These peroxidase-catalyzed biotransformations lead to modified natural products with high biological activities [110-118]. Several examples have also been described for the oxidative coupling of phenols with peroxidases and other oxidative enzymes from a variety of fungal and plant sources as whole cell systems... 

Enzymes are natural biocatalysts that are becoming increasingly popular tools in synthetic organic chemistry [1]. The major areas of exploration have involved the use of hydrolases, particularly esterases and lipases [2]. These enzymes are readily available, robust and inexpensive. The second most popular area of investigation has been the reduction of carbonyl compounds to chiral secondary alcohols using either dehydrogenases (with co-factors) or a whole-cell system such as bakers yeast [3]. 

An ionic liquid can be used as a pure solvent or as a co-solvent. An enzyme-ionic liquid system can be operated in a single phase or in multiple phases. Although most research has focused on enzymatic catalysis in ionic liquids, application to whole cell systems has also been reported (272). Besides searches for an alternative non-volatile and polar media with reduced water and orgamc solvents for biocatalysis, significant attention has been paid to the dispersion of enzymes and microorganisms in ionic liquids so that repeated use of the expensive biocatalysts can be realized. Another incentive for biocatalysis in ionic liquid media is to take advantage of the tunability of the solvent properties of the ionic liquids to achieve improved catalytic performance. Because biocatalysts are applied predominantly at lower temperatures (occasionally exceeding 100°C), thermal stability limitations of ionic liquids are typically not a concern. Instead, the solvent properties are most critical to the performance of biocatalysts. 

One of the major disadvantages of utilizing enzymes or semisynthetic enzymes for chemical transformations is the fact that large quantities of pure enzyme are needed for preparative scale. This disadvantage is contrasted with whole cell systems (bacteria, fungi, plant/animal cells) because they are easily available in large quantities through... 

Biocatalysis. Biocatalysis, also termed biotransformation and bioconversion, makes use of natural or modified isolated enzymes, enzyme extracts, or whole-cell systems for the production of small molecules. A starting material is converted by the biocatalyst in the desired product. Enzymes are differentiated from chemical catalysts particularly with regard to stereoselectivity. 

Finding a catalyst, be it an isolated enzyme or a whole cell system, for a biocatalyst application is frequently not an easy task. With a desired product in mind, one has to consider variously suited starting compounds, which ate preferably commercially available or cheaply synthesized, and the enzymatic steps leading to the products of interest. Furthermore, the chemo-, regio-and stereoselectivity of the biocatalyst towards functional groups of the starting compounds should be taken into account. 

Table 8.3-1 Whole-cell systems and enzymes other than lipases in ionic liquids. 

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