A heterologous expression of alpha-amino acid ester hydrolase from the strain Achromobacter sp. CCM 4824 in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)

On the chromosomal DNA of the microorganism Achromobacter sp. CCM 4824, which was gained in the Laboratory of enzyme technology MBU AVCR v.v.i., there was identified a gene coding an enzyme capable of hydrolyzation of semi-synthetic β-lactam antibiotics ampicillin and cephalosporin with a D-phenylglycine as a side chain. This enzyme belongs to a group of α-amino acid esterases, which are interesting because of a potential use in kinetically controled synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics. In several aspects α-amino acid esterases might be better than actually used penicillin acylases and that is why these enzymes are subjects of a big interest. The gene for α-amino acid esterase coded by chromosomal DNA was cloned, characterized and heterologously expressed in constructed highly-producing bacterial system Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)JM5. Produced enzyme was purified and its properties important for possible use in the production of semi-synthetic β-lactam antibiotics were determined. Key words: alpha-amino acid ester hydrolase, Achromobacter sp., recombinant expression system, β-lactam antibiotic