Screening and Molecular Identification of Yeast Strain for Asymmetric Reduction of Acetophenone

Abstract:

Yeast strain YS6-2 with high stereoselectivity was screened from 145 strains when the asymmetric reduction of acetophenone to (S)-1-phenethylalcohol was chosen as the model reaction. With the concentration of acetophenone at 70 mmol/L, YS6-2 yielded (S)-alcohol at 26.8% conversion and enantiomeric excess reached up to 98.8%. Based on the analysis of 18S rDNA and 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain sequence, along with its general morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics, YS6-2 was identified as Rhodotorula mucilaginosa.