Cell-free synthesis of deacetoxycephalosporin C
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsArnold L. Demain, Toshio Konomi, Jack E. Baldwin
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Abstract
A cell-free process for converting isopenicillin N, .delta.-(L-.alpha.-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine (hereinafter "LLD") and 6-substituted derivatives thereof to deacetoxycephalosporin C (DACPC) by the following reaction sequence: ##STR1## is disclosed. In addition to the starting material, the reaction system includes ATP and a fresh extract of Cephalosporium acremonium prepared and used in a manner to preserve the racemase agent or agents necessary for conversion of the isopenicillin N to penicillin N, a necessary intermediate step in the process.
Claims9
A process for producing deacetoxycephalosporin C or 6-substituted derivatives thereof comprising the steps of:
- A. providing a starting material selected from the group consisting of:
- (a) a derivative of L-.alpha.-aminoadipyl-L cysteinyl-D-valine of the formula:
- ##STR8## and (b) an isopenicillin derivative of the formula:
- ##STR9## where R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, and isopropyl;
- B. preparing a cell-free extract of Cephalosporium acremonium, the preparation of the extract being such as to preserve the operability of an enzyme contained therein capable of inverting the aminoadipyl side chain of the penicillin molecule from the L to the D conformation;
- C. contacting the extract and the starting material in a reaction zone while promoting oxygen transfer;
- D. providing ATP as an energy source to said reaction zone;
- and
- E. allowing a component of the extract to react with said starting material for a sufficient amount of time to produce a cephalosporin compound of the formula:
- ##STR10##
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.