Synthesis of chiral cyanohydrins by recombinant Escherichia coli cells in a micro-aqueous reaction system.

Synthesis of chiral cyanohydrins is performed in a monophasic micro-aqueous reaction system using whole recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing the Arabidopsis thaliana hydroxynitrile lyase (AtHNL). Microscopy studies employing a fusion of AtHNL with a flavin-based fluorescent protein (FbFP) reveal that the cells remain intact in the reaction system.