SYNTHESIS OF USEFUL ASYMMETRIC COMPOUNDS USING BIOCATALYSIS - THE CHEMISTS CONTRIBUTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY

The close association of biochemistry and organic chemistry through th e nineteenth century can be traced to some present-day applications of fermentation processes. The emergence of whole-cell systems (e.g. bak ers' yeast) for controlled biotransformations (e.g. hydrolysis, oxidat ion and reduction reactions) has been paralleled by the modern usage o f commercially available, partially purified enzymes for the preparati on of optically active intermediates to various fine chemicals (e.g, p harmaceuticals and agricultural aids). The increasing importance of th e cloning and expression of selected enzymes and the real and potentia l opportunities of metabolic pathway engineering ensure that biocataly sis will continue to make an important contribution to the synthesis o f asymmetric compounds in single enantiomer form.