Characterization of a novel deep-sea microbial esterase EstC10 and its use in the generation of (R)-methyl2-chloropropionate

A novel esterase Est C10 from B acillus sp. CX01 isolated from the deep sea of the Western Pacific Ocean and the functionalities of Est C10 was characterized. At present, the reports about the kinetic resolution of racemic methyl 2-chloropropionate were quite rare. So we developed deep-sea microbial esterase Est C10 as a novel biocatalyst in the kinetic resolution of racemic methyl 2-chloropropionate and generate( R)-methyl 2-chloropropionate with high enantiomeric excess(99%) after the optimization of process parameters such as p H, temperature, organic co-solvents, surfactants, substrate concentration and reaction time. Notably, the optimal substrate concentration(80 mmol/L) of esterase Est C10 was higher than the kinetic resolution of another esterase, Est12-7(50 mmol/L). The novel microbial esterase Est C10 identified from the deep sea was a promising green biocatalyst in the generation of( R)-methyl 2-chloropropionate as well of many other valuable chiral chemicals in industry.