Production of Nα-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-aminoadipic acid and Nα-benzyloxycarbonyl-d-aminoadipic acid with Rhodococcus sp. AIU Z-35-1

We isolated a new bacterial strain capable of producing Nα-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-aminoadipic acid (Nα-Z-l-AAA) and Nα-Z-d-AAA by cell reaction. This isolated strain was identified as a member of the genus Rhodoccocus. By this strain, Nα-Z-l-AAA and Nα-Z-d-AAA were formed from Nα-Z-l-lysine and Nα-Z-d-lysine via Nα-Z-l-aminoadipate-δ-semialdehyde (Nα-Z-l-AASA) and Nα-Z-d-AASA, respectively, and a more than 10-fold higher concentration of Nα-Z-l-AAA was produced in one-third the reaction time of Aspergillus niger AKU 3302. In addition, approximately 40 mM Nα-Z-d-AAA was produced from 50 mM Nα-Z-d-lysine. Thus, the production of Nα-Z-l-AAA and Nα-Z-d-AAA was remarkably improved using the new isolated strain.