Characterization of novel alcohol dehydrogenase of Devosia riboflavina involved in stereoselective reduction of 3-pyrrolidinone derivatives

Optically active N-benzyl-3-pyrrolidinols are versatile chiral building blocks. Stereoselective reduction of N-benzyl-3-pyrrolidinone is an economical and environmentally friend means of synthesizing these compounds. Devosia riboflavina KNK10702 was discovered on screening as a source of a reducing enzyme giving the (R)-form N-benzyl-3-pyrrolidinol. An NADH-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase was purified to homogeneity through five steps from this microorganism. The relative molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 58,000 on gel filtration and 28,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This enzyme reduced a broad range of carbonyl compounds in addition to N-substituted-3-pyrrolidinones. Some properties of the enzyme are reported herein.