Enzymatic process for producing hydroxycarboxylic acid

摘要

Hydroxycarboxylic acids including glycolic acid are promising compounds for use as a raw material for polymers or an intermediate for medicines. However, the processes for the production of hydroxycarboxylic acids which are presently known have a problem that none of them can supply an inexpensive high-purity hydroxycarboxylic acid. An object of the invention is to produce a microorganism which highly yields in a short time a hydroxycarboxylic acid reduced in impurity content and to provide a process for producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid including glycolic acid using the microorganism. A microorganism is produced, which has the imparted or enhanced activity of an enzyme catalyzing a reaction from ethylene glycol to glycolaldehyde. Using this microorganism, a hydroxycarboxylic acid including glycolic acid which is reduced in impurity content is highly produced in a short time. The production process enables a hydroxycarboxylic acid having high purity to be supplied at low cost.