A novel bacterial strain (BS20T), which has ginsenoside-transforming ability, was whole genome sequenced for the identification of a target gene.

[reaction: see text] A direct and highly stereoselective (E)-4-benzyloxybut-2-enylation of aldehydes was successfully carried out to give 5-benzyloxyhomoallylic alcohol (11) via an allyl-transfer reaction using a chiral allyl donor (10). The chiral allyl donor (10) was prepared by catalytic Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation of 3-methylbut-2-en-1-ol, followed by a stereospecific vinyl Grignard reaction of the epoxide in the presence of CuBr and selective benzylation of the primary alcohol of diol.

A highly enantioselective (2Z)-alk-2-enylation of aldehydes was successfully achieved by an allyl-transfer reaction from a chiral allyl donor, which was easily obtained by separation of a diastereomeric mixture of the corresponding homoallylic alcohol gamma-adducts derived from (+)-isomenthone with alk-2-enylmagnesium chloride. [reaction: see text]

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, light yellow, short-rod bacterium (designated GJ30-7T) isolated from compost, was characterized using a polyphasic approach, in order to clarify its taxonomic position. Strain GJ30-7T was observed to grow optimally at 30 °C and at pH 7.0 on R2A agar medium. Strain Gsoil GJ30-7T possessed β-glucosidase activity, which was responsible for its ability to transform ginsenosides Rb1 and Rc (the two main active components of ginseng) to ginsenoside F2. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, indicated that GJ30-7T belongs to the genus Sphingobacterium of the family Sphingobacteriaceae and was most closely related to Sphingobacterium yanglingense JCM 30166T (92.6 %), Sphingobacterium psychroaquaticum KACC 18188T (92.6 %), and Sphingobacterium thermophilum KCTC 23708T (92.0 %). The DNA G+C content was 43 mol% and MK-7 was the major isoprenoid quinone. The main polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospolipid and one unknown polar lipid. In contrast to standard and reference strains, unidentified sphingolipid was also present. The predominant fatty acids of strain GJ30-7T were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c (summed feature 3) and iso-C17 : 1ω9c and/or C16 : 0 10-methyl (summed feature 9), supporting the affiliation of strain GJ30-7T to the genus Sphingobacterium. However, strain GJ30-7T could be distinguished genotypically and phenotypically from species of the genus Sphingobacterium with validly published names. The novel isolate therefore represents a novel species, for which the name Sphingobacterium jejuense sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain GJ30-7T (=KACC 18625T=JCM 30948T).

Incubation of methyl 2-benzamidomethyl-3-oxobutanoate with cultured plant cells of Parthenocissus tricuspidata for 2 days afforded methyl (2R,3S)-2-benzamidomethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate with 100% de and Ͼ99% ee in 51% yield. The use of immobilized cells of P. tricuspidata in calcium alginate gel improved the yield of the product (95% yield) with 100% de and Ͼ99% ee. The immobilized cells of P. tricuspidata maintained the high potential for the reduction of methyl 2-benzamidomethyl-3-oxobutanoate (85% yield) after 5 times of usage.