Abstract: The invention relates to a compound of formula (I) Wherein: B is adenine, guanine or hypoxanthine Z is hydrogen or a negative charge R is —[CH2CH(R1)—O]n—R2, —CH2CH2X, in which R1 is hydrogen or (C1-C6) alkyl R2 is hydrogen or (C1-C6) alkyl n is a number from 1 to 6 X is OH, F, NR3R4 R3 and R4 are independently from each other hydrogen or (C1-C6) alkyl and to methods of enzymatically treating these compounds with biocatalysts having cyclic phosphodiesterase activity.

Abstract: The invention belongs to the field of biotechnology. It concerns a biocatalyst, i.e. a dead or living microorganism or a polypeptide, preferably in isolated form, which exhibits acylase enzymatic activity without lipase- or esterase-activity. The biocatalyst is capable of stereoselectively hydrolysing a racemic acylamide which has an aliphatic acyl residue and which is not a derivative of a natural amino acid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a compound of formula (I) ##STR1## Wherein: B is adenine, guanine or hypoxanthineZ is hydrogen or a negative chargeR is --[CH.sub.2 CH(R.sup.1)--O].sub.n -R.sup.2, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X, in whichR.sup.1 is hydrogen or (C.sub.1 -.sub.6) alkylR.sup.2 is hydrogen or (C.sub.1 -.sub.6) alkyln is a number from 1 to 6X is OH, F, NR.sup.3 R.sup.4R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently from each other hydrogen or (C.sub.1 -.sub.6) alkyland to methods of enzymatically treating these compounds with biocatalysts having cyclic phosphodiesterase activity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of cytidine 5'-monophosphosialic acids which comprises reacting a sialic acid with cytidine 5'-triphosphate in the presence of a cell extract of a naturally occurring microorganism having cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase activity, the extract optionally having been subjected to one purification step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a one-step microbial process for the preparation of 13.beta.-hydroxy- or 14,15-epoxy-milbemycins of the following formulae I and II ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 and R.sub.1 ' represent methyl, ethyl, isopropyl or sec.-butyl or represent the group ##STR2## in which X represents methyl, ethyl or isopropyl, and A and A' represent the group ##STR3## in which R.sub.2 represents hydrogen, --C(O)-CH.sub.2 O-C(O)-CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -COOH or --C(O)-CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -COOH, or mixtures of compounds of the formulae I and II, which process comprises bringing a milbemycin of the formula III ##STR4## dissolved in a liquid phase, in which R.sub.3 represents R.sub.1 or R.sub.1 ' and R.sub.4 represents A or A', and R.sub.1, R.sub.1 ', A and A' have the meanings given for formulae I and II, into contact with a microorganism that is capable of 13.beta.-hydroxylation or 14,15-epoxidation or of both reactions, or into contact with active constituents thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a preferably continuous process for the preparation of R- or S-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid in very high enantiomeric purity, which comprises reducing 2-oxo-4-phenylbutyric acid with the enzyme D-lactate dehydrogenase from Staphylococcus epidermidis or with the enzyme L-lactate dehydrogenase from bovine heart, respectively, in the presence of NAD(H) and formate or ethanol and formate dehydrogenase or alcohol dehydrogenase, respectively. R-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid is a valuable intermediate in the preparation of ACE inhibitors or their precursors.

Abstract: A process for obtaining N-acetylneuraminic acid from N-acetylglucosamine is disclosed. The process is carried out in a reactor which contains both N-acylglucosamine-2-epimerase (E.C. 5.1.3.8) which isomerizes GlcNAc into ManNAc, and N-acetylneuraminic acid pyruvate lyase (E.C. 4.1.3.3) which catalyzes the reaction of the resulting ManNAc with pyruvic acid to give Neu5Ac. GlcNAc and Pyr are fed into the reactor and Neu5Ac is obtained in the outflow. The process is preferably carried out continuously and in particular in an enzyme membrane reactor at pH 7.5 and 25.degree. C., especially using residence times of 0.2 to 10 h, and with an excess of GlcNAc in comparison with Pyr which is subsequently added if necessary. Epimerase and lyase are preferably present in the reactor in a ratio of activities which is equivalent to the reciprocal value of the quotient of the conversion rates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel facultative methylotrophic microorganisms of the genus Hyphomicrobium, to protein-containing biomass, and to a process for the microbiological purification of aqueous solutions, e.g. wastewaters, which contain methanol, ethanol, glucose, dimethyl phosphite, trimethyl phosphite, sodium formate, sodium acetate, methylammonium chloride, dimethylammonium chloride, ethylmethylammonium chloride or, chiefly, sodium methyl sulfate, as pollutants. The respective microorganism is cultured in aqueous solution and the pollutant is degraded simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel facultative methylotrophic microorganisms of the genus Pseudomonas, or of a genus Pseudomonas-type genus, to protein-containing biomass, and to a process for the microbiological purification of aqueous solutions, e.g. wastewater solutions, which contain methanol, ethanol, acetate, glucose, alkylammonium compounds, e.g., trimethylethylammonium chloride, or alkylamine oxides, e.g. trimethylamine oxide, as pollutants.