Bioreductions
catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) play an
important role in the synthesis of chiral alcohols. However, the synthesis
of ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate [(S)-CHBE], an important drug intermediate, has significant
challenges concerning high substrate or product inhibition toward
ADHs, which complicates its production. Herein, we evaluated a novel
ADH, SmADH31, obtained from the Stenotrophomonas
maltophilia genome, which can tolerate extremely high concentrations
(6 M) of both substrate and product. The coexpression of SmADH31 and glucose dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis in Escherichia coli meant that as much as 660 g
L–1 (4.0 M) ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate was completely
converted into (S)-CHBE in a monophasic aqueous system
with a >99.9% ee value and a high space-time yield (2664 g L–1 d–1). Molecular dynamics simulation
shed light
on the high activity and stereoselectivity of SmADH31.
Moreover, five other optically pure chiral alcohols were synthesized
at high concentrations (100–462 g L–1) as
a result of the broad substrate spectrum of SmADH31.
All these compounds act as important drug intermediates, demonstrating
the industrial potential of SmADH31-mediated bioreductions.