Abstract: The present invention relates to novel mutants with cyclase activity and use thereof in a method for biocatalytic cyclization of terpenes, such as in particular for the production of isopulegol by cyclization of citronellal; a method for the preparation of menthol and methods for the biocatalytic conversion of further compounds with structural motifs similar to terpene.

Abstract: Process for producing optically active 3-aminocarboxylic acid ester compounds of general Formula I, and the ammonium salts thereof, in which R1 stands for alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or hetaryl, and R2 stands for alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, in which an enantiomeric mixture of a simply N-acylated 3-aminocarboxylic acid ester of general formula (I.b), in which R1 and R2 have the meanings given above and R3 stands for hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, is submitted to an enantioselective deacylation by adding a polypeptide according to claim 1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for expressing nucleic acid sequences in prokaryotic host cells, where at least one DNA construct which is capable of episomal replication in a host cell and which comprises a nucleic acid sequence to be expressed under the transcriptional control of an L-rhamnose-inducible promoter, where the promoter is heterologous with regard to the nucleic acid sequence, is introduced into the host cell and the expression of he nucleic acid sequence is induced by addition of L-rhamnose, wherein the prokaryotic host cell is at least deficient with regard to an L-rhamnose isomerase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biocatalytic method of preparing a mono-acylated polyol catalyzed by triacylglycerol lipase mutants, as for example derived from Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB); a biocatalytic method of enantioselectively preparing an asymmetric mono-acylated polyol, catalyzed by the same enzyme mutants; as well as the use of a mutated triacylglycerol lipase in a method of preparing mono-acylated polyols. The invention also provides novel mutants, coding sequences thereof, and recombinant microorganisms carrying said coding sequences.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preserving and/or storing microorganisms which exhibit at least one nitrile hydratase or nitrilase enzyme activity, with the preservation and/or storage being effected in an aqueous medium which comprises at least one aldehyde, with the total aldehyde concentration being in a range from 0.1 to 100 mM/l.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the biocatalytic production of ambroxan by means of a polypeptide with the activity of a homofarnesol-ambroxan cyclase, which are a novel class of enzymes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biocatalytic method of preparing a mono-acylated polyol catalyzed by triacylglycerol lipase mutants, as for example derived from Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB); a biocatalytic method of enantioselectively preparing an asymmetric mono-acylated polyol, catalyzed by the same enzyme mutants; as well as the use of a mutated triacylglycerol lipase in a method of preparing mono-acylated polyols. The invention also provides novel mutants, coding sequences thereof, and recombinant microorganisms carrying said coding sequences.

Abstract: A process for the enzymatic reduction of an enoate (1) wherein the C?C bond of the enoate (1) is stereoselectively hydrogenated in the presence of an enoate-reductase and an oxidizable co-substrate (2) in a system which is free of NAD(P)H, in which A is a ketone radical (—CRO), an aldehyde radical (—CHO), a carboxyl radical (—COOR), with R?H or optionally substituted C1-C6-alkyl radical, R1, R2 and R3 are independently of one another H, —O—C1-C6-alkyl, —O—W with W=a hydroxyl protecting group, C1-C6-alkyl, which can be substituted, C2-C6-alkenyl, carboxyl, or an optionally substituted carbo- or heterocyclic, aromatic or nonaromatic radical, or one of R1, R2 and R3 is a —OH radical, or R1 is linked to R3 so as to become part of a 4-8-membered cycle, or R1 is linked to R so as to become part of a 4-8-membered cycle, with the proviso that R1, R2 and R3 may not be identical.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis of polyacrylic acid esters. According to said method, at least one polyacrylic acid ester is provided and incubated with at least one enzyme selected from enzymes (EC 3.1) acting on ester bindings, until the ester groups contained in the polyacrylic acid ester are partially or fully hydrolytically split, and optionally the modified polymer obtained thereby is isolated. The invention also relates to the enzymes used and mutants thereof, nucleic acids coding for the enzymes, vectors comprising the nucleic acids, micro-organisms comprising the vectors, and the use of the enzymes, the vectors or the micro-organisms for carrying out a method for the enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis of polyacrylic acid esters. The present application also relates to polymer reaction products that can be obtained by the method, and methods for producing esterases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis of polyacrylic acid esters. According to the method, at least one polyacrylic acid ester is provided and incubated with at least one enzyme selected from enzymes (EC 3.1) acting on ester bindings, until the ester groups contained in the polyacrylic acid ester are partially or fully hydrolytically split, and optionally the modified polymer obtained thereby is isolated. The invention also relates to the enzymes used and mutants thereof, nucleic acids coding for the enzymes, vectors comprising the nucleic acids, micro-organisms comprising the vectors, and the use of the enzymes, the vectors or the micro-organisms for carrying out a method for the enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis of polyacrylic acid esters. The present application also relates to polymer reaction products that can be obtained by the method, and methods for producing esterases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-stage process for producing substituted, optically active alcohols, comprising an enzyme-catalyzed synthesis step, in particular a synthesis step which is catalyzed by an alcohol dehydrogenase. The inventive method is particularly suitable for producing phenylephrine, i.e. 3-[(1R)-1-hydroxy-2-methylamino-ethyl]-phenol.

Abstract: Process for producing optically active 3-aminocarboxylic acid ester compounds of general Formula I, and the ammonium salts thereof, in which R1 stands for alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or hetaryl, and R2 stands for alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, in which an enantiomeric mixture of a simply N-acylated 3-aminocarboxylic acid ester of general formula (I.b), in which R1 and R2 have the meanings given above and R3 stands for hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, is submitted to an enantioselective deacylation by adding a polypeptide according to claim 1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel enzymatically catalyzed method for the production of asymmetric aromatic aldehydes in an aqueous reaction medium containing certain organic co-solvents.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing urethane-containing acrylic- and (meth)acrylic esters by reacting a urethane-containing alcohol with a reactant acrylic- or (meth)acrylic ester of a saturated alcohol in the presence of at least one polymerization inhibitor and an enzyme as a catalyst within a reactor, wherein the saturated alcohol released in the process and optionally an entraining agent form an azeotrope with an excess of the reactant (meth)acrylic ester, such that the azeotrope is removed by distillation under reduced pressure and at least one substream from the bottom of the reactor is circulated through the top of the distillation column. Using this process, urethane-containing acrylic- and (meth)acrylic esters are prepared in high yields and high purities under mild conditions from economically obtainable reactants with no significant polymer formation.

Abstract: A process for the enzymatic reduction of an enoate (1) wherein the C?C bond of the enoate (1) is stereoselectively hydrogenated in the presence of an enoate-reductase and an oxidizable co-substrate (2) in a system which is free of NAD(P)H, a. b. in which c. A is a ketone radical (—CRO), an aldehyde radical (—CHO), a carboxyl radical (—COOR), with R?H or optionally substituted C1-C6-alkyl radical, d. R1, R2 and R3 are independently of one another H, —O—C1-C6-alkyl, —O—W with W=a hydroxyl protecting group, C1-C6-alkyl, which can be substituted, C2-C6-alkenyl, carboxyl, or an optionally substituted carbo- or heterocyclic, aromatic or nonaromatic radical, or one of R1, R2 and R3 is a —OH radical, or R1 is linked to R3 so as to become part of a 4-8-membered cycle, or R1 is linked to R so as to become part of a 4-8-membered cycle, with the proviso that R1, R2 and R3 may not be identical.

Abstract: Process for producing optically active 3-aminocarboxylic acid ester compounds of general Formula I, and the ammonium salts thereof, in which R1 stands for alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or hetaryl, and R2 stands for alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, in which an enantiomeric mixture of a simply N-acylated 3-aminocarboxylic acid ester of general formula (I.b), in which R1 and R2 have the meanings given above and R3 stands for hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, is submitted to an enantioselective deacylation by adding a polypeptide according to claim 1.

Abstract: Process for preparing partial (meth)acrylic esters of polyalcohols having different hydroxyl groups, process for their preparation, and use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel enzymatically catalyzed method for the production of asymmetric aromatic aldehydes in an aqueous reaction medium containing certain organic co-solvents.

Abstract: A method for enzymatic preparation of compounds of the general formula (2) from unsaturated alkene derivatives of the general formula (1) by reducing a compound of the formula (1) in the presence of a reductase, comprising at least one of the polypeptide sequences SEQ ID NO: 1, 2 or 3 or having a functionally equivalent polypeptide sequence which is at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, 2 or 3.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation of an alkanol from an aqueous biotransformation mixture, in that a) a first alkanol phase is obtained by means of distilling out an alkanol-water azeotrope from the aqueous biotransformation mixture and, if the azeotrope is a heteroazeotrope, phase separating the azeotrope and separating out an aqueous phase, b) a second alkanol phase is obtained by (i) liquid/liquid extracting the first alkanol phase using a solvent as an extracting agent, or (ii) azeotropic drying the first alkanol phase in the presence of the solvent as a carrier agent, and c) the second alkanol phase is fractionally distilled, producing a pure alkanol fraction. The biotransformation mixture is obtained, for example, by means of reducing an alkanol in the presence of an alcohol dehydrogenase. The method is adapted to the severe dilution of the products of value in the biotransformation mixture and works without long phase separation times when extracting by means of organic solvents.