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Transition Metal‐Free Reduction of Activated Alkenes Using a Living Microorganism
Author(s) -
Brewster Richard C.,
Suitor Jack T.,
Bennett Adam W.,
Wallace Stephen
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201903973
Subject(s) - biotransformation , synthetic biology , microorganism , chemistry , metabolic engineering , chemical synthesis , enantioselective synthesis , microbial metabolism , combinatorial chemistry , aqueous medium , metabolic pathway , metabolism , transition metal , organic synthesis , organic chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , bacteria , aqueous solution , enzyme , in vitro , biology , computational biology , genetics
Microorganisms can be programmed to perform chemical synthesis via metabolic engineering. However, despite an increasing interest in the use of de novo metabolic pathways and designer whole‐cells for small molecule synthesis, the inherent synthetic capabilities of native microorganisms remain underexplored. Herein, we report the use of unmodified E. coli BL21(DE3) cells for the reduction of keto‐acrylic compounds and apply this whole‐cell biotransformation to the synthesis of aminolevulinic acid from a lignin‐derived feedstock. The reduction reaction is rapid, chemo‐, and enantioselective, occurs under mild conditions (37 °C, aqueous media), and requires no toxic transition metals or external reductants. This study demonstrates the remarkable promiscuity of central metabolism in bacterial cells and how these processes can be leveraged for synthetic chemistry without the need for genetic manipulation.