N-carbamoyl-L-cysteine as an intermediate in the bioconversion from D, L-2-amino-Δ2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid to L-cysteine by pseudomonas sp. ON-4a

Abstract

We investigated the conversion of D, L-2-amino-Δ2-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (D, L-ATC) to L-cysteine with Pseudomonas sp. ON-4a, an ATC-assimilating bacterium. Cysteine and N-carbamoylcysteine (NCC), but not S-carbamoylcysteine (SCC), were produced from D, L-ATC by a cell-free extract from the strain. These products were isolated from the reaction mixture and then identified as the L-form. Similar results were obtained with P. putida AJ3865 and unidentified strain TG-3, an ATC-assimilating bacteria. It became clear that L-NCC is an intermediate in the conversion of D, L-ATC to L-cysteine in these Pseudomonas strains. Furthermore, it was suggested that these bacteria have L-ATC hydrolase and L-NCC amidohydrolase. © 1998, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.