Process for producing a-hydroxy acid ammonium salt

• US 20050176116A1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soda Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soda Company Limited
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yoichi, Meada, Kasumi
• Application Number:
  US10/501,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176116A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/128
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/205 Bacterial isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 13/00 Preparation of nitrogen-containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/42 Hydroxy-carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12R 2001/06 Arthrobacter

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing. a-hydroxy acid ammonium salt that uses a specific microbial strain capable of accumulating α-hydroxy acid ammonium salt at a high concentration while also maintaining an industrially satisfactory production rate for a long period of time. More specifically, the present invention uses a microbial catalyst originating in a microbial strain which, during conversion of α-hydroxynitrile to α-hydroxy acid ammonium salt, is capable of maintaining the average production rate of α-hydroxy acid ammonium salt at at least 100 μmol/min per g of dry microbial cell weight for 14 days or more without adding fresh microbial catalyst, and is capable of accumulating the α-hydroxy acid ammonium salt at 20 to 60% by weight. An example of this microbial strain is Arthrobacter sp. strain NSSC204.

Claims

1. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by RCH(OH)COO⁻

NH₄⁺ of general formula (II) characterized in that, when converting an α

-hydroxynitrile represented by RCH(OH)CN of general formula (I) (wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom, a C₁ to C₆ alkyl group which may be substituted, a C₂ to C₆alkenyl group which may be substituted, a C₁ to C₆ alkoxyl group which may be substituted, an aryl group which may be substituted, an aryloxy group which may be substituted or a heterocyclic group which may be substituted) to an α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by RCH(OH)COO⁻

NH₄⁺ of general formula (II) (wherein R is the same as previously defined), a microbial catalyst originating in a microbial strain is used that is capable of maintaining the average production rate of the α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) at at least 100 μ

mol/min per g of dry microbial cell weight for 14 days or more without adding fresh microbial catalyst.

2. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) according to claim 1, wherein the microbial catalyst originating in a microbial strain is able to accumulate 20 to 60% by weight of the α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) in the reaction system.

3. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the microbial catalyst originating in a microbial strain is a microbial catalyst originating in a microbial strain belonging to the genus Arthrobacter.

4. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) according to claim 3 wherein, the microbial strain belonging to the genus Arthrobacter is Arthrobacter sp. NSSC204 or a microbial strain derived from the strain.

5. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) according to any of claims 1 through 4, wherein the microbial catalyst originating in a microbial strain is a microbial cell, treated microbial cells of the microbe, an extract extracted from the microbe or enzyme isolated from the microbe.

6. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) according to any of claims 1 through 5, wherein the C₁ to C₆ alkyl group which may be substituted is a C₁ to C₆ alkylthioalkyl group or a C₁ to C₆ hydroxyalkyl group.

7. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) according to any of claims 1 through 5 wherein, the aryl group which may be substituted is a phenyl group.

8. A method for producing α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II), wherein the α

-hydroxynitrile is lactonitrile, acetone cyanohydrin, mandelonitrile or 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyronitrile.

9. A microbial strain characterized in that, when converting an α

-hydroxynitrile represented by RCH(OH)CN of general formula (I) (wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom, a C₁ to C₆ alkyl group which may be substituted, a C₂ to C₆ alkenyl group which may be substituted, a C₁ to C₆ alkoxyl group which may be substituted, an aryl group which may be substituted, an aryloxy group which may be substituted or a heterocyclic group which may be substituted) to an α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by RCH(OH)COO⁻

NH₄⁺ of general formula (II) (wherein R is the same as previously defined), is capable of maintaining the average production rate of the α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) at at least 100 μ

mol/min per g of dry microbial cell weight for 14 days or more without adding fresh microbial catalyst.

10. A microbial strain according to claim 9 wherein, the microbial strain is able to accumulate 20 to 60% by weight of the α

-hydroxy acid ammonium salt represented by general formula (II) in the reaction system.

11. A microbial strain according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the microbial strain is a microbial strain belonging to the genus Arthrobacter.

12. A microbial strain according to claim 11, wherein the microbial strain belonging to the genus Arthrobacter is Arthrobacter sp. NSSC204 (FERM BP-7662).

13. A microbial strain according to claim 11, wherein the microbial strain belonging to the genus Arthrobacter is a microbial strain derived from Arthrobacter sp. NSSC204.