Beta-aminopeptidase-catalyzed biotransformations of beta(2)-dipeptides: kinetic resolution and enzymatic coupling

We have previously shown that the beta-aminopeptidases BapA from Sphingosinicella xenopeptidilytica and DmpA from Ochrobactrum anthropi can catalyze reactions with non-natural beta(3)-peptides and beta(3)-amino acid amides. Here we report that these exceptional enzymes are also able to utilize synthetic dipeptides with N-terminal beta(2)-amino acid residues as substrates under aqueous conditions. The suitability of a beta(2)-peptide as a substrate for BapA or DmpA was strongly dependent on the size of the C(alpha) substituent of the N-terminal beta(2)-amino acid. BapA was shown to convert a diastereomeric mixture of the beta(2)-peptide H-beta(2)hPhe-beta(2)hAla-OH, but did not act on diastereomerically pure beta(2),beta(3)-dipeptides containing an N-terminal beta(2)-homoalanine. In contrast, DmpA was only active with the latter dipeptides as substrates. BapA-catalyzed transformation of the diastereomeric mixture of H-beta(2)hPhe-beta(2)hAla-OH proceeded along two highly S-enantioselective reaction routes, one leading to substrate hydrolysis and the other to the synthesis of coupling products. The synthetic route predominated even at neutral pH. A rise in pH of three log units shifted the synthesis-to-hydrolysis ratio (v(S)/v(H)) further towards peptide formation. Because the equilibrium of the reaction lies on the side of hydrolysis, prolonged incubation resulted in the cleavage of all peptides that carried an N-terminal beta-amino acid of S configuration. After completion of the enzymatic reaction, only the S enantiomer of beta(2)-homophenylalanine was detected (ee>99 % for H-(S)-beta(2)-hPhe-OH, E>500); this confirmed the high enantioselectivity of the reaction. Our findings suggest interesting new applications of the enzymes BapA and DmpA for the production of enantiopure beta(2)-amino acids and the enantioselective coupling of N-terminal beta(2)-amino acids to peptides.