Isolation of Rhodococcus sp. Strain ECU0066, a New Sulfide Monooxygenase-Producing Strain for Asymmetric Sulfoxidation

• Published in: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Vol. 75; no. 2; pp. 551 - 556
• Main Authors: Li, Ai-Tao, Zhang, Jian-Dong, Xu, Jian-He, Lu, Wen-Ya, Lin, Guo-Qiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.01.2009; American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
• Subjects: Asymmetric synthesis; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Enzymes; Enzymology and Protein Engineering; Fermentation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, rRNA; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidoreductases Acting on Sulfur Group Donors - biosynthesis; Rhodococcus; Rhodococcus - enzymology; Rhodococcus - isolation & purification; Rhodococcus - metabolism; RNA, Bacterial - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Stereoisomerism; Sulfide compounds; Sulfoxides - metabolism; Sulfides; Bacteria; Isolation; Rhodococcus; Actinomycetes; Sulfoxidation
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336; 1098-6596
• DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01527-08

A new and efficient sulfide monooxygenase-producing strain, ECU0066, was isolated and identified as a Rhodococcus sp. that could transform phenylmethyl sulfide (PMS) to (S)-sulfoxide with 99% enantiomeric excess via two steps of enantioselective oxidations. Its enzyme activity could be effectively induced by adding PMS or phenylmethyl sulfoxide (PMSO) directly to a rich medium at the early log phase (6 h) of fermentation, resulting in over 10-times-higher production of the enzyme. This bacterial strain also displayed fairly good activity and enantioselectivity toward seven other sulfides, indicating a good potential for practical application in asymmetric synthesis of chiral sulfoxides.