Direct observation of redox reactions in Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 by Confocal microscopic studies

Confocal microscopic studies with the resting cells of yeast, Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330, a reportedly versatile biocatalyst for redox enzyme mediated preparation of optically pure secondary alcohols in high optical purities [enantiomeric excess (ee) up to >99%] and yields, revealed that the yeast cells had large vacuoles under the experimental conditions studied where the redox reaction takes place. A novel fluorescence method was developed using 1-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)ethanol to track the site of biotransformation within the cells. This alcohol, itself non-fluorescent, gets oxidized to produce a fluorescent ketone, 1-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)ethanone. Kinetic studies showed that the reaction occurs spontaneously and the products get released out of the cells in less time [5 mins]. The biotransformation was validated using HPLC.

A fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) based assay for Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 mediated oxidation of aryl alcohols

We present an FTIR based assay to monitor the whole cell mediated oxidation of aryl alcohols by measuring the characteristic IR absorption of the hydroxyl group [OH] of the substrate and the carbonyl group [CO] of the corresponding oxidized product. This method expedites the analysis of whole cell mediated catalysis which is usually done by GC and/or HPLC. The FTIR assay had linearity with R(2)≥0.980 and sensitivity up to 10μM. The accuracy and precision of FTIR assay was found ≥81% and ≥94%, respectively. This assay was validated by GC which exhibited ≥82% accuracy and ≥79% precision. The time of analysis taken by this assay was 2-3min per sample in comparison with 20-40min by GC.

Enantio- & chemo-selective preparation of enantiomerically enriched aliphatic nitro alcohols using Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330

Enantiomerically pure β- and γ-nitro alcohols were prepared from their respective nitro ketones by asymmetric reduction using Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 under optimized reaction conditions (ee up to >99%; yields up to 76%).

Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 mediated oxidation of aromatic (activated) primary alcohols to aldehydes

A green, simple and high yielding [up to 86% yield] procedure is developed for the oxidation of aromatic (activated) primary alcohols to aldehydes using whole cells of Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330.

Regio- and enantio-selective oxidation of diols by Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330

Optically pure (S)-diols and their corresponding hydroxy ketones were prepared via regio- and enantio-selective oxidation of the corresponding diols using whole cells of Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330.