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 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 present Invention relates to new nitrilases with modified Substrate acceptance, the method to obtain them and the use of the aforesaid nitrilases. Said nitrilases are encoded by a polypeptide sequence, which at a Position corresponding to Position 296 in wild-type Alcaligenes faecalis comprises an amino acid which is not tyrosine. The Invention further relates to nucleic acid sequences and amino acid sequences encoding Said nitrilases, expression constructs comprising Said nucleic acid sequences, vectors comprising the nucleic acid sequences or the exPression constructs, to organisms, preferably microorganisms, comprising the nucleic acid sequences, expression constructs or vectors. The Invention additionally relates to a method for preparing carboxylic acids, preferably substituted chiral carboxylic acids from racemic nitriles.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active alkanols of the formula I in which n is an integer from 0 to 5; Cyc is an optionally substituted, mono- or polynuclear, saturated or unsaturated, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, and R1 is halogen, SH, OH, NO2, NR2R3 or NR2R3R4+X?, with R2, R3 and R4 independently of one another being hydrogen or a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy radical and X? being a counterion, which process comprises incubating in a medium comprising alkanone of the formula II ?in which n, Cyc and R1 are as defined above, an enzyme having a polypeptide sequence (i) SEQ ID NO: 1 or (ii) in which, compared to SEQ ID NO:1, up to 25% of the amino acid radicals have been altered by deletion, insertion, substitution or a combination thereof and which retains at least 50% of the enzymic activity of SEQ ID NO:1, with the compound of the formula II being enzymically reduced to give the compound of the formula I, and isolating the product formed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing the optically active alkanols of formula (I), wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 5; Cyc represents an optionally substituted, mononuclear or polynuclear, saturated or unsaturated, carbocylic or heterocyclic ring, and R1 represents halogen, SH, OH, NO2, NR2R3 or NR2R3R4+X?, wherein R2, R3 and R4 independently represent H or a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group and X? represents a counterion. According to the invention, an enzyme (E) selected from the groups of dehydrogenases, aldehyde reductases and carbonyl reductases is incubated in a medium containing the alkanone of formula (II), wherein n, Cyc and R1 are defined as above, in the presence of reduction equivalents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to enzymic and nonenzymic processes for preparing 3-methylamino-1-(thien-2-yl)propan-1-ol; as well as to enzymes for implementing these processes; and to nucleic acid sequences encoding these enzymes, to expression cassettes containing these nucleic acid sequences, to vectors and to recombinant hosts.