Abstract: This invention relates to the bioproduction of substituted or unsubstituted phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylethanol, phenylacetic acid or phenylethylamine by subjecting a starting material comprising glucose, L-phenylalanine, substituted L-phenylalanine, styrene or substituted styrene to a plurality of enzyme catalyzed chemical transformations in a one-pot reaction system, using recombinant microbial cells overexpressing the enzymes. To produce phenylacetaldehyde from styrene, the cells are modified to overexpress styrene monooxygenase (SMO) and styrene oxide isomerase (SOI). To produce phenylacetic acid from styrene, SMO, SOI and aldehyde dehydrogenase are overexpressed. Alternatively, to produce 2-phenylethanol, SMO, SOI and aldehyde reductase or alcohol dehydrogenase are overexpressed, while to produce phenylethylamine, SMO, SOI and transaminase are overexpressed.

Abstract: This invention relates to the bioproduction of substituted or unsubstituted phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylethanol, phenylacetic acid or phenylethylamine by subjecting a starting material comprising glucose, L-phenylalanine, substituted L-phenylalanine, styrene or substituted styrene to a plurality of enzyme catalyzed chemical transformations in a one-pot reaction system, using recombinant microbial cells overexpressing the enzymes. To produce phenylacetaldehyde from styrene, the cells are modified to overexpress styrene monooxygenase (SMO) and styrene oxide isomerase (SOI). To produce phenylacetic acid from styrene, SMO, SOI and aldehyde dehydrogenase are overexpressed. Alternatively, to produce 2-phenylethanol, SMO, SOI and aldehyde reductase or alcohol dehydrogenase are overexpressed, while to produce phenylethylamine, SMO, SOI and transaminase are overexpressed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of forming chiral 1,2-aminoalcohols and ?-aminoacids from alkene starting materials by way of an enzymatic cascade reaction sequence that may be accomplished in a single reaction vessel without the need to isolate any intermediates. Also disclosed herein are recombinant nucleic acids, vectors and host cells for use in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions comprising an alkene epoxidase and a selective epoxide hydrolase, such as a recombinant microorganism comprising a first heterologous nucleic acid encoding an alkene epoxidase and a second heterologous nucleic acid encoding a selective epoxide hydrolase. Exemplary alkene epoxidases include StyAB, while exemplary selective epoxide hydrolases include epoxide hydrolases from Sphingomonas, Solanum tuberosum, or Aspergillus. The invention also provides non-toxic methods of making enantiomerically pure vicinal diols or enantiomerically pure alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acids using these compositions and microorganisms.