Efficient synthesis of (R)-3-hydroxypentanenitrile in high enantiomeric excess by enzymatic reduction of 3-oxopentanenitrile

(R)-3-Hydroxypentanenitrile (HPN) is an important intermediate in the synthesis of an immunosuppressive inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor. An efficient enzymatic procedure for the synthesis of (R)-HPN with over 99 % enantiomeric excess using a novel acetoacetyl-CoA reductase (AdKR) from Achromobacter denitrificans was successfully established. Many microorganisms are known to reduce 3-oxopentannitrile (KPN) to (R)-HPN. An enzyme from A. denitrificans partially purified using ion exchange chromatography reduced KPN to (R)-HPN with high enantioselectivity. The AdKR gene was cloned and sequenced and found to comprise 738 bp and encode a polypeptide of 26,399 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a high degree of similarity to those of other putative acetoacetyl-CoA reductases and putative 3-ketoacyl-ACP reductases. The AdKR gene was singly expressed and coexpressed together with a glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) as a coenzyme regenerator in Escherichia coli under the control of the lac promoter. (R)-HPN was synthesized with over 99 % e.e. using a cell-free extract of recombinant E. coli cells coexpressing AdKR and GDH.