Enantiocomplementary inverting sec-alkylsulfatase activity in cyano- and thio-bacteria Synechococcus and Paracoccus spp.: selectivity enhancement by medium engineering

Abstract Whole resting cells of cyano- and thio-bacteria Synechococcus and Paracoccus spp. were shown to possess inverting alkylsulfatase activity for a broad spectrum of sec -alkylsulfate esters, which furnished either ( R )- or ( S )- sec -alcohols from the corresponding rac -sulfate esters in an enantiocomplementary fashion. Low enantioselectivities ( E -values 1–4) could be dramatically improved by the addition of lower alcohols (e.g., t- BuOH) or by using a biphasic medium containing t- BuOMe ( E >200).