Cultures of Clostridium butyricum type strain in synthetic medium supplemen
ted with various L-2-amino acids revealed the presence of the corresponding
2-hydroxy acid. This metabolite is able to produce the polyester poly(2-hy
droxyalkanoic acid). The bioconversion is not stereoselective since D-2-ami
no acids were also converted. Chiral GC analysis demonstrated that only D-e
nantiomer is formed from L-leucine. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ
ts reserved.