Amino acid dehydrogenase-derived biocatalysts.

The processes of the present invention allow access to both enantiomeric series of non-natural alfa-amino acids. In a 1st aspect of the invention, there is a process for resolving racemic non-natural alfa-amino acids to provide an alfa-keto acid, achiral at the alfa-position, and a D-alfa-amino acid. In a 2nd aspect of the invention, there is a process for prepg. a non-natural L-alfa-amino acid from an alfa-keto acid, achiral at the alfa-position. Preferably, the achiral alfa-keto acid is provided from the process of the 1st aspect of the invention. All of the processes employ mutant amino acid dehydrogenases. The present invention shows that mutant amino acid dehydrogenases can, surprisingly, handle a wide range of non-natural alfa-amino acids, often with high efficiency and always with perfect retention of the abs. discrimination between the L- and D- series of alfa-amino acids