Efficient kinetic resolution of phenyl glycidyl ether by a novel epoxide hydrolase from Tsukamurella paurometabola

Enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic epoxides mediated by epoxide hydrolases (EHs) is one of the most promising approaches to obtain enantiopure epoxides. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel EH (TpEH1) from Tsukamurella paurometabola by analyzing the conserved catalytic residues of EH. TpEH1 was overexpressed and purified, and its catalytic properties were studied using racemic phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE) and its derivatives as substrates. TpEH1 showed excellent enantioselectivity to the substrates PGE, 3-methylPGE, and 3-nitroPGE. The highest enantioselectivity (E > 100) was achieved when 3-nitroPGE was used as the substrate. The recombinant Escherichia coli TpEH1 demonstrated high substrate tolerance toward PGE and could hydrolyze PGE at concentrations of up to 400 mM (60 g/L) with high enantioselectivity (E = 65), giving (R)-PGE with enantiomeric excess of more than 99 % ee and 45 % yield within 1 h. This concentration of PGE is the highest reported concentration catalyzed by native EHs to date. Thus, the easily available and highly active E. coli TpEH1 showed great potential for the practical preparation of optically pure (R)-PGE.