Asymmetric synthesis of (S)-alpha-methylbenzylamine by recombinant Escherichia coli co-expressing omega-transaminase and acetolactate synthase.

To produce (S)-alpha-methylbenzylamine (MBA) from acetophenone, recombinant Escherichia coli co-expressing omega-transaminase and acetolactate synthase was used as a whole-cell biocatalyst. The solvent-bridge reaction system increased the yield of the whole-cell reaction by 2.5-fold, and the inhibitory (S)-alpha-MBA produced in the omega-transaminase reaction solution (pH 8.0) moved into the extraction solution (pH 3.0) via an organic solvent.