Production of (S,S)-Ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic Acid from Ethylenediamine and Fumaric Acid by Bacteria.

We tried to produce (S,S)-ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic acid [(S,S)-EDDS] with the aid of microorganisms that can degrade the compound. A reaction mixture consisting of ethylenediamine and fumaric acid was incubated with the bacteria isolated from soil and sludge, and we found that several kinds of bacteria such as Sphingomonas, Brevundimonas, Pseudomonas, and Acidovorax produced (S,S)-EDDS. The optimum pH and the temperature for the production was pH 7.5 and 35°C for Acidovorax sp. TNT149 and the bacterial cells produced 90 mmoles of (S,S)-EDDS from 200 mmoles of ethylenediamine and 350 mmoles of fumaric acid under these reaction condition.