Provided are methods for synthesizing compounds, including chiral kynurenine compounds. The methods are suitable for large-scale manufacture and produce the chiral kynurenines compounds in high chemical purity and high chiral purity.

A novel process for the preparation of L-threo-dihydroxyphenylserine (Droxidopa) is described. It comprises of enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic (DL)-threo-N-acetyl-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-serine using commercially available L-amino acylase from Aspergillus sp. (EC 3.5.1.14) in the presence of cobalt ions, to obtain (L)-threo-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-serine followed by dealkylation to obtain Droxidopa. Protecting the amino group of (L)-threo-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-serine using either benzyloxycarbonyl or phthaloyl group before dealkylation followed by deprotection of the amino group results in obtaining Droxidopa in high yields and purity.

The present invention relates to methods for identifying, assessing, preventing, and treating metabolic disorders and modulating metabolic processes using PM20D1 and N-lipidated amino acids.

A method efficiently produces a compound containing an N-acyl-amino group by an enzymatic method. Specifically, a method of producing a compound containing an N-acyl-amino group includes producing the compound containing an N-acyl-amino group by reacting a compound containing an amino group with a compound containing a carboxyl group in the presence of an enzyme having an ability to bond a carboxyl group and an amino group in an ATP dependent manner to form an amide bond.

The present invention relates to novel polypeptides capable of detoxifying Ochratoxin A (OTA) and methods (e.g., for detoxifying mycotoxins) based thereon. The present invention further relates to compositions, kits, transgenic plants, transgenic seeds, transgenic pollen grains, foodstuff, intermediate foodstuff; fodder, intermediate fodder; feed, intermediate feed; additive (e.g., foodstuff-, fodder- or feed additive), intermediate additive (e.g., foodstuff-, fodder- or feed intermediate additive); detoxifying agent, intermediate detoxifying agent; nutritional supplement, intermediate nutritional supplement, prebiotic, intermediate prebiotic and/or mixture/s thereof comprising one or more of the polypeptides capable of detoxifying Ochratoxin A (OTA).

Provided are methods for synthesizing compounds, including chiral kynurenine compounds. The methods are suitable for large-scale manufacture and produce the chiral kynurenines compounds in high chemical purity and high chiral purity.

The present invention provides a method for producing N-dodecanoyl-L-lysine using an enzyme having properties suitable for the industrial production of N-dodecanoyl-L-lysine. More specifically, the present invention provides a method for producing N-acyl-L-lysine including reacting a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof and L-lysine or a salt thereof in the presence of a protein having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; a protein having an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acid residues are inserted, added, deleted, or substituted in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and having N-acyl-L-lysine-specific aminoacylase activity; and a protein which has 90% or higher homology with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and having N-acyl-L-lysine-specific aminoacylase activity.

Provided are bacterial cells genetically modified to improve their tolerance to certain commodity chemicals, such as polyamines, and methods of preparing and using such bacterial cells for production of polyamines and other compounds.

The present invention provides a method for producing N-dodecanoyl-L-lysine using an enzyme having properties suitable for the industrial production of N-dodecanoyl-L-lysine. More specifically, the present invention provides a method for producing N-acyl-L-lysine including reacting a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof and L-lysine or a salt thereof in the presence of a protein having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; a protein having an amino acid sequence in which one or several amino acid residues are inserted, added, deleted, or substituted in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and having N-acyl-L-lysine-specific aminoacylase activity; and a protein which has 90% or higher homology with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and having N-acyl-L-lysine-specific aminoacylase activity.

Provided are methods for synthesizing compounds, including chiral kynurenine compounds. The methods are suitable for large-scale manufacture and produce the chiral kynurenines compounds in high chemical purity and high chiral purity.