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Biotransformations of rifamycins: process possibilities
U C Banerjee1, B Saxena, Y Chisti
1Biochemical Engineering Research and Process Development Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India.
Biotechnology Advances
|January 1, 1992
Abstract:
Rifampicin, an important antibiotic, is manufactured by chemical conversion of rifamycin S which is obtained by the chemical modification of rifamycin B. Rifamycin B is a product of Nocardia mediterranei fermentations. The chemical conversion of rifamycin B to rifamycin S has many disadvantages: Strong acidic conditions are required, heavy foam formation accompanies transformation and the yields are low. This review highlights the developments in alternative, biochemical transformations using enzymes and cells; the main focus is on transformations carried out by rifamycin oxidase.