Process for producing optically active 4-hydroxy-2-ketoglutaric acids

摘要

A process for producing an optically active L-4-hydroxy-2-ketoglutaric acid comprises: (a) allowing glyoxylic acid and pyruvic acid to coexist with a biocatalyst which is selected from cells, a culture and processed cells of a microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas, Paracoccus, Providencia, Rhizobium or Morganella and having an activity of forming the optically active L-4-hydroxy-2-ketogutaric acid from pyruvic acid and glyoxylic acid in an aqueous medium, thereby to convert the glyoxylic acid and pyruvic acid into the optically active L-4-hydroxy-2-ketoglutaric acid; and (b) recovering the optically active L-4-hydroxy-2-ketoglutaric acid from the aqueous medium.