Studies on Acylase Activity and Microorganisms. XI. A New Method for resolving DL-Amino Acids by Metabolism of Soil Bacteria.

Abstract

Four strains (KT-230, KT-231, KT-232, and KT-233) of soil bacteria were isolated and their metabolic activities were tested on ε-N-benzoyl-lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, leucine, threonine, and their benzoyl derivatives (Tables I and II). KT-230, KT-231, KT-232, and KT-233 metabolized dibenzoyl-DL-lysine to produce ε-N-benzoyl-L-lysine and dibenzoyl-D-lysine respectively in good yield. KT-230 and KT-231 metabolized benzoyl-DL-methionine to produce L-methionine and benzoyl-D-methionine, but KT-232 and KT-233 produced DL-methionine instead of L-methionine. It was demonstrated that cell-free extract of KT-232 or bacterial mass of KT-233 could racemize L-methionine to yield-DL-methionine. KT-230 and KT-231 metabolized benzoyl-DL-phenylalanine and benzoyl-DL-leucine to yield L-phenylalanine, benzoyl-D-phenylalanine, L-leucine, and benzoyl-D-leucine. By the metabolism of KT-233 L-threonine and N-benzoyl-D-threonine were obtained from N-benzoyl-DL-threonine in a good yield. α-N-Butyroyl-ε-N-benzoyl-DL-lysine was metabolized by KT-232 to yield ε-N-benzoyl-L-lysine and α-N-butyroyl-ε-N-benzoyl-D-lysine.