Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide containing a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group a) polynucleotide that is at least 70% identical with a polynucleotide that codes for a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, b) polynucleotide that codes for a polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence that is at least 70% identical with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, c) polynucleotide that is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) or b), and d) polynucleotide containing at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of a), b) or c), and to a process for the production of L-amino acids by fermentation using coryneform bacteria in which at least the citE gene is present in attenuated form, and to the use of polynucleotides containing the sequences of the invention as hybridization probes.

Abstract: The invention relates to polynucleotides corresponding to the ccpA2 gene and which encode a CcpA2 catabolite control protein, methods of producing L-amino acids, and methods of screening for polynucleotides which encode proteins having CcpA2 catabolite control activity.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide which contains a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group comprising: (a) a polynucleotide which is at least 70% identical to a polynucleotide coding for a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, (b) a polynucleotide coding for a polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence which is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, (c) a polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of (a) or (b), and (d) a polynucleotide containing at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of (a), (b) or (c), and a fermentation process for the preparation of L-amino acids using corynebacteria in which at least the pknB gene is amplified, and to the use, as hybridization probes, of polynucleotides containing the sequences according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides isolated polynucleotides containing a polynucleotide sequence which is: a) polynucleotide which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to a polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, or b) polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, or c) polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) or b), or d) polynucleotide comprising at least 15 successive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of a), b) or c), and a process for the fermentative preparation of L-amino acids using coryneform bacteria in which at least the ccpA1 gene is present in attenuated form, and the use of the polynucleotide sequences as hybridization probes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing optically active amino acids from 5-substituted hydantoin by isolating a hydantoinase gene and an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene involved in an ability to convert 5-substituted hydantoin or N-carbamylamino acid into optically active amino acids from a microorganism of the genus Microbacterium having the above ability and by improving gene amplification and transcriptional and translational activities thereby preparing a recombinant wherein the amount of the desired enzymes produced is increased. The hydantoinase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having a hydantoinase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 in the Sequence. The N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3 in the Sequence.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for producing a target substance by utilizing a microorganism comprising culturing the microorganism in a medium, allowing the target substance to accumulate, and collecting the target substance from the medium. Also the microorganism used in the present invention is a mutant strain whereby maltose assimilation is controlled by the interaction between IIAGlc protein of glucose PTS and MalK.

Abstract: DNA for encoding a protein having D-hydantoinase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 1 in the Sequence Listing. DNA for encoding a protein having D-carbamylase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 3 in the Sequence Listing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (hereinafter referred to as “G6PD”) derived from a bacterium belonging to the genus Corynebacterium, a DNA encoding the enzyme, a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA, a transformant comprising the recombinant DNA, a transformant comprising the DNA on its chromosome, and a process for producing L-amino acid or G6PD which comprises culturing the transformant. According to the present invention, a modified G6PD and a DNA encoding the G6PD are obtained, and the productivity of L-amino acid by a microorganism can be improved by using the modified G6PD.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence chosen from the group consisting of a) polynucleotide which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to a polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 2, b) polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 2 c) polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) and b) and d) polynucleotide comprising at least 15 successive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of a), b) or c), and processes for the fermentative preparation of L-amino acid with amplification of the zwa1 gene in the coryneform bacteria employed.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds useful to inhibit tumor growth and to induce apoptosis. In general, the anti-cancer agents (ACA) are described by the formula: [ACA]n-X[Formula I] wherein X is a linker group having 2–5 functional groups or is absent, n=1, and ACA is selected from the group consisting of Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, and Formula VI, as described herein. Other compounds described herein are defined by the Formula VII, as described herein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an amidase enzyme, nucleic acids encoding the amidase, as well as methods of employing the nucleic acids and/or amidase to produce, for example, enantiomericallyenriched compounds such as D-amino acids.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an amino acid selected from the group consisting of L-alanine, L-valine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-proline, glycine, L-serine, L-threonine, L-cysteine, L-tyrosine, L-asparagine, L-glutamine, L-lysine, L-histidine, L-arginine, L-aspartic acid and L-glutamic acid and useful as medicament, chemical agent, food material and feed additive at high industrial efficiency, the method comprising culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce the amino acid and having resistance to an aminoquinoline derivative in a medium, producing and accumulating the amino acid in the present invention in the culture, and recovering the amino acid from the culture.

Abstract: The invention provides nucleotide sequences from coryneform bacteria which code for maltate dehydrogenase and a process for the fermentative preparation of amino acids using bacteria in which the mdhA gene is attenuated.

Abstract: DNA for encoding a protein having D-hydantoinase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 1 in the Sequence Listing. DNA for encoding a protein having D-carbamylase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 3 in the Sequence Listing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing an L-amino acid, in particular, L-threonine, which comprises: cultivating a microorganism of the family Enterobacteriaceae producing the desired L-amino acid under conditions suitable for production of the amino acid, in which the fruR (cra) (fructose repressor) gene or nucleotide secluences coding therefor in the microorganism is attenuated, in particular are switched off or eliminated, and recovering the L-amino acid from the medium or in the cells of the microorganism.

Abstract: A process for the production of an L-amino acid wherein coryneform bacteria (e.g. Coryneform glutamicum) in which expression of the mqo gene coding for malate quinone oxidoreductase is attenuated are fermented to produce a desired amino acid, and the amino acid is concentrated in the medium or cells and isolated. Optionally, further genes in the biosynthetic pathway of the desired amino acid are enhanced, and/or metabolic pathways that reduce formation of the amino acid are suppressed.

Abstract: A novel method of producing PS is described herein. The method first involves producing PLD enzyme through the use of enzyme-producing microorganisms. The PLD enzyme is reacted with a lecithin and source of serine to produce the phosphatidylserine (PS). The method differs from prior methods in several ways. First, it incorporates a novel strain of PLD enzyme-producing organism in a preferred embodiment. It is also the first known PS production method that allows for the reuse of the enzyme and serine components to enhance efficiency and productivity. It further incorporates a novel solvent system, unique stabilization agents for the PLD enzyme, as well as optimized reaction conditions.

Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia having an ability to produce an L-amino acid is cultured in a medium containing fructose as a main carbon source, preferably a medium containing a carbon source composed of 30 weight % or more of fructose and 70 weight % or less of glucose, to produce and accumulate the L-amino acid in the medium, and the L-amino acid is collected from the medium.

Abstract: In a method for producing an L-amino acid by culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce an L-amino acid in a medium to produce and accumulate the L-amino acid in the medium and collecting the L-amino acid from the medium, a Gram-negative bacterium having the Entner-Doudoroff pathway and modified so that 6-phosphogluconate dehydratase activity or 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase activity, or activities of the both are enhanced is used as the microorganism.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide having a polynucleotide sequence which codes for the sigC gene from Corynebacterium glutamicum, and a host-vector system having a coryneform host bacterium, such as Corynebacterium glutamicum, and a vector which carries at least the sigC gene according to SEQ ID No 1, and the use of polynucleotides which comprise the sequences according to the invention as hybridization probes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stable isotope-labeled amino acid which is at least one of amino acids constituting a protein and which has at least one of the following labeling patterns: (a) hydrogen atoms except at least one hydrogen atom in one or more methylene groups are deuterated, (b) hydrogen atoms in one of prochiral gem-methyl groups are completely deuterated, (c) hydrogen atoms in prochiral methyl groups are partially deuterated, and (d) all hydrogen atoms except one of them in methyl group are deuterated and hydrogen atoms in the aromatic ring are partially deuterated. With the stable isotope-labeled amino acid, the deuteration of protein can be attained without damaging the NMR sensitivity of remaining hydrogen nucleus and, in addition, the rapid, accurate analysis of NMR spectrum of a high-molecular protein which is beyond the limitation in the prior art and the determination of the stereo-structure can be performed at the same time.

Abstract: There is provided a novel method for producing an optically active (4R)-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid by allowing cells of a microorganism or a preparation obtained from cells of a microorganism having activity for stereoselectively hydrolyzing an optically active (4R)-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid amide to act on a mixture of (4R)- and (4S)-enantiomers of a 1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid amide to produce the optically active (4R)-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid and separating the optically active (4R)-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid.

Abstract: A method of producing L-threonine using a microorganism is provided, one or more copies of each of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene and the threonine operon are additionally intedgrated into a particular site of the chromosomal DNA of the microorganism, whiel its inherent phophoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene and threonine operon remain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for the preparation compounds of formula I wherein R1, R2, R3 and n are as described in the description which process comprises reacting compounds of formula II wherein R1, R2, R3, n and R4 are as described in the description, with a protease in an aqueous system containing an organic co-solvent. The compound of formula I are useful for the preparation of 1,5-benzothiazepines which are useful as enzyme inhibitors, such as protease, interleukin-1?-converting enzyme, elastase or angiotensin converting enzyme, GPCR antagonists (cholecystokinin, angiotensin II receptor).

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide from Corynebacterium glutamicum having a polynucleotide sequence which encodes the sigma factor M (sigM) gene, and a host-vector system having a coryneform host bacterium in which the sigM gene is present in enhanced form and a vector which carries at least the sigM gene according to SEQ ID No 1, and the use of polynucleotides which comprise the sequences according to the invention as hybridization probes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing highly-concentrated polyglutamic acid by culturing an aerobic micro-organism of Bascillus sp. with the additional supply of saccharides. The method for manufacturing polyglutamic acid comprises a step of culturing Bascillus sp. in a fed-batch or batch culture while supplying saccharides to the culture. Since the method for manufacturing highly-concentrated polyglutamic acid can be applicable to the industrial scale fermentation, mass production of polyglutamic acid can be feasible in a cost-efficient way.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of enantiomerically enriched ?-amino acids. The invention also relates to advantageous esters of ?-amino acids of the general formula (I) and to the use thereof in the enzymatic preparation of enantiomerically enriched ?-amino acids.

Abstract: L-Glutamic acid, L-proline or L-arginine is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia, which is L-isoleucine auxotrophic and has ability to produce L-glutamic acid, L-proline or L-arginine, in a medium containing L-isoleucine, to produce and accumulate L-glutamic acid, L-proline or L-arginine in a culture, and collecting L-glutamic acid, L-proline or L-arginine from the culture.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide from Corynebacterium glutamicum having a polynucleotide sequence which codes for the carbon starvation protein A (cstA) gene, and a host-vector system having a coryneform host bacterium in which the cstA gene is present in enhanced form and a vector which carries at least the cstA gene according to SEQ ID NO: 1, and the use of polynucleotides which comprise the sequences according to the invention as hybridization probes.

Abstract: An amino acid such as threonine, homoserine, isoleucine, lysine, valine and tryptophan is produced using a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia which has been constructed from sucorse non-assimilative strain belonging to the genus Escherichia and which harbors sucrose non-PTS (phosphoenol pyruvate-dependent sucrose-6-phosphotransferase system) genes and has an ability to produce the amino acid.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of a) polynucleotide which is at least 70% identical to a polynucleotide that codes for a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, b) polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide that comprises an amino acid sequence which is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, c) polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) or b), and d) polynucleotide comprising at least 15 successive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of a), b) or c), and processes for the fermentative preparation of L-amino acids using coryneform bacteria in which at least the metH gene is present in enhanced form, and use of the polynucleotide sequences as hybridization probes.

Abstract: A novel rec-L-N-carbamoylase from Arthrobacter aurescens and its method of use for producing L-amino acids. The recombinantly produced L-carbamoylase is unexpectedly stable, so that an industrial method of producing L-amino acids can be established with it, in contrast to previously known L-carbamoylases.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of a) polynucleotide which is at least 70% identical to a polynucleotide that codes for a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. No. 2, b) polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide that comprises an amino acid sequence which is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, c) polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) or b), and p1 d) polynucleotide comprising at least 15 successive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of a), b) or c), and processes for the fermentative preparation of L-amino acids using coryneform bacteria in which at least the metE gene is present in enhanced form, and the use of the polynucleotide sequences as hybridization probes.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence chosen from the group consisting of a) polynucleotide which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to a polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, b) polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, c) polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) or b), and d) polynucleotide comprising at least 15 successive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of a), b) or c), and a process for the fermentative preparation of L-amino acids using coryneform bacteria in which at least the rpsL gene is present in enhanced form, as well as the use of polynucleotides which comprise the sequences according to the invention as hybridization probes.

Abstract: An enzymatic synthesis and composition of oligomers and co-oligomers comprised of ?-hydroxy carboxylic acids and ?-amino acids or peptides is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a ?-hydroxy carboxylic acid with a specific chiral configuration is linked by an amide linkage to a ?-amino acid specific with a specific chiral configuration or linked by an amide linkage to a peptide made up of ?-amino acid monomers having identical chiral configurations. Proteolytic enzymes catalyze oligomerization of the ?-hydroxy carboxylic acid and ?-amino acid. The degree and distribution of oligomerization varies upon the type and concentrations of different reaction mixtures utilized and upon the length of allowed reaction time. The resultant oligomers may be provided to animals such as ruminants as bioavailable amino acid supplements that are resistant to degradation in the rumen and other animals such as swine, poultry and aquatic animals.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide which contains a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group comprising: (a) a polynucleotide which is at least 70% identical to a polynucleotide coding for a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, (b) a polynucleotide coding for a polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence which is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, (c) a polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of (a) or (b), and (d) a polynucleotide containing at least 15 consecutive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of (a), (b) or (c), and a fermentation process for the preparation of L-amino acids using corynebacteria in which at least the pknB gene is amplified, and to the use, as hybridization probes, of polynucleotides containing the sequences according to the invention.

Abstract: The patent application describes a process for the enzymatic chiral synthesis of L-phosphinothricin by transamination from its corresponding keto acid PPO with aspartate as amino donor. It is possible by a suitable reaction procedure to achieve a quantitative conversion on use of approximately equimolar amounts of amino donor and acceptor with complete consumption of the donor amino acid aspartate. The use of thermally stable transaminases makes a higher reaction rate and correspondingly large space/time yields possible.

Abstract: The invention provides methods to increase the production of an amino acid from Corynebacterium species by way of the amplification of amino acid biosynthetic pathway genes in a host cell chromosome. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides methods to increase the production of L-lysine in Corynebacterium glutamicum by way of the amplification of L-lysine biosynthetic pathway genes in a host cell chromosome. The invention also provides novel processes for the production of an amino acid by way of the amplification of amino acid biosynthetic pathway genes in a host cell chromosome and/or by increasing promoter strength. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides processes to increase the production of L-lysine in Corynebacterium glutamicum by way of the amplification of L-lysine biosynthetic pathway genes in a host cell chromosome.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of L-amino acids. The process includes fermenting the coryneform bacteria producing the desired L-amino acid, in which at least the gene coding for 6-phosphofructokinase and/or the gene coding for 1-phosphofructokinase are/is attenuated, enriching the desired L-amino acid in the medium or in the cells of the bacteria, and isolating the L-amino acid. Optionally bacteria are employed in which, in addition, further genes of the biosynthetic pathway of the desired L-amino acid are enhanced, or bacteria are employed in which the metabolic pathways that diminish the formation of the desired L-amino acid are at least partly switched off.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of increasing the productivity of a microorganism by improving the assimilation of carbon dioxide. Specifically, the invention provides a polypeptide having phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity which does not require acetyl coenzyme A for activation and is desensitized to feedback inhibition by aspartic acid, and to genes coding for this polypeptide. A gene encoding a PEP carboxylase that is not regulated by acetyl-CoA or aspartic acid can improve carbon flow from the three carbon intermediate PEP to the four carbon intermediate OAA, contribute to compounds derived from OAA, and increase amino acid biosynthesis. The invention further provides recombinant DNA molecules containing these genes, bacteria transformed with these genes, and a method of producing amino acids using the transformed bacteria.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fermentation process for the preparation of L-amino acids, especially L-threonine, in which the following steps are carried out: a) fermentation of the microorganisms of the family Enterobacteriaceae producing the desired L-amino acid, in which microorganisms at least the pckA gene and/or the open reading frames yjfA and ytfP are, individually or jointly, attenuated and, in particular, switched off, b) enrichment of the L-amino acid in the medium or in the bacterial cells, and c) isolation of the L-amino acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing glycine, which comprises subjecting an aqueous solution of glycinonitrile to a hydrolysis reaction in a hydrolysis reaction system under the action of a microbial enzyme, thereby converting the glycinonitrile to glycine while by-producing ammonia, wherein the hydrolysis reaction system contains at least one organic impurity compound inhibiting the microbial enzyme, wherein the organic impurity compound has a molecular weight of 95 or more and contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of a nitrile group, a carboxyl group, an amide group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group and a trimethyleneamine structure, and wherein the hydrolysis reaction is performed under conditions wherein, during the hydrolysis reaction, the content of the organic impurity compound inhibiting the microbial enzyme in the hydrolysis reaction system is maintained at a level of 10% by weight or less, based on the weight of the hydrolysis reaction system.

Abstract: The invention relates to polynucleotides corresponding to the oxyR gene from Corynebacterium glutamicum and which encode a OxyR transcriptional regulator, methods of producing L-amino acids, and methods of screening for polynucleotides which encode proteins having OxyR transcriptional regulator activity.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide containing a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group comprising: a) polynucleotide that is at least 70% identical to a polynucleotide coding for a polypeptide that contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, b) polynucleotide coding for a polypeptide that contains an amino acid sequence that is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No.2, c) polynucleotide that is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) or b), and d) polynucleotide containing at least 15 successive bases of the polynucleotide sequence of a), b) or c), and processes for the fermentative production of L-amino acids by enhancement of the glk-gene coding for the enzyme glucokinase.

Abstract: The invention relates to preferably recombinant DNA derived from Corynebacterium and replicable in coryneform microorganisms, which contains at least one nucleotide sequence that codes for the thrE gene, and a process for the production of L-threonine, which is characterised in that the following steps are carried out: a) Fermentation of microorganisms in which at least the thrE gene is amplified (overexpressed), optionally in combination with further genes, b) Enrichment of the L-threonine in the medium or in the cells of the microorganisms, and c) Isolation of the L-threonine.

Abstract: The present invention relates lo an isolated polynucleotide from Corynebacterium glutamicum comprising a polynucleotide sequence chosen from the group c insisting of (a) a polynucleotide which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to a polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b) a polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence which is identical to the extent of at least 70% to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (c) a polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of(a) or (b), and (d) a polynucleotide comprising at least 15 successive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequence of (a), (b), or (c), and a process for the fermentative preparation of L-amino acids using coryneform bacteria in which at least the sigE gene is present in enhanced form, and the use of polynucleotides which comprise the sequence according to the invention as hybridization probes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polynucleotides corresponding to the lysR1 gene and which encode a LysR1 transcriptional regulator, methods of producing L-amino acids, and methods of screening for polynucleotides which encode proteins having LysR1 transcriptional regulator activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel D-aminoacylase, as well as method for producing a D-amino acid using the same. In order to achieve the above objective, the present inventors have succeeded in purifying heat-stable D-aminoacylase from microorganisms belonging to the genus Streptomyces by combining various purification methods. Furthermore, the present inventors found that the purified heat-stable D-aminoacylase is useful in industrial production of D-amino acids. By utilizing the heat-stable D-aminoacylase, it is possible to readily and efficiently produce the corresponding D-amino acids from N-acetyl-DL-amino acids (for example, N-acetyl-DL-methionine, N-acetyl-DL-valine, N-acetyl-DL-tryptophan, N-acetyl-DL-phenylalanine, N-acetyl-DL-alanine, N-acetyl-DL-leucine, and so on).

Abstract: An enzymatic process permitting the enantiomeric resolution of amino acids is provided. More specifically, this process for separating the enantiomers of an amino acid comprises treating a racemic mixture of the amino acid with glutaric anhydride and then with the enzyme glutaryl-7-ACA acylase so as to recover one of the enantiomers of the amino acid, the other enantiomer remaining in the form of the corresponding glutarylamide derivative.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide from Corynebacterium glutamicum having a polynucleotide sequence which codes for the sigD gene, and a host-vector system having a coryneform host bacterium in which the sigD gene is present in enhanced form and a vector which carries at least the sigD gene according to SEQ ID No: 1, and the use of polynucleotides which comprise the sequences according to the invention as hybridization probes.