Enantioselective oligomerization of alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acids and alpha-amino acids

Abstract

An enzymatic synthesis and composition of oligomers and co-oligomers comprised of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids and α-amino acids or peptides is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a α-hydroxy carboxylic acid with a specific chiral configuration is linked by an amide linkage to a α-amino acid specific with a specific chiral configuration or linked by an amide linkage to a peptide made up of α-amino acid monomers having identical chiral configurations. Proteolytic enzymes catalyze oligomerization of the α-hydroxy carboxylic acid and α-amino acid. The degree and distribution of oligomerization varies upon the type and concentrations of different reaction mixtures utilized and upon the length of allowed reaction time. The resultant oligomers may be provided to animals such as ruminants as bioavailable amino acid supplements that are resistant to degradation in the rumen and other animals such as swine, poultry and aquatic animals.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 136,974, filed May 2, 2002, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 288,196, filed May 2, 2001, and as a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 699,946, filed Oct. 30, 2000, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 162,725, filed Oct. 29, 1999 (now abandoned). The entire texts of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 288,196, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09 / 699,946 and 10 / 136,974, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 288,196 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a process for the enantioselective preparation of oligomers consisting of α-amino acid isomers and co-oligomers consisting of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid isomers and α-amino acid isomers. The present invention also relates to c...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a process for preparing an oligomer that is protected from degradation in the rumen of a ruminant animal, which can provide nutritional or pharmacological benefits to the animal. The invention also provides a co-oligomer that combines two or more α-amino acids or derivatives thereof in a specific way to provide a more effective nutritional or pharmacological effect. The invention also provides a process for purifying enantiomeric mixtures of α-amino acids or derivatives thereof. The invention further provides a method for coating vitamins, minerals, or nutrients with an oligomeric coating to improve their absorption and effectiveness in the animal.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, these proteins and α-amino acids can be subjected to extensive degradation in the rumen by ruminal microorganisms, thereby rendering the protein or amino acid unavailable to the animal for absorption.

This is not a very efficient utilization of the feed, which is especially problematic in animals having increased nutritional requirements such as lactating dairy cows and fast growing animals such as beef cattle.

Underheating the protein resulted in no protection while overheating the protein resulted in the degradation of important essential amino acids.

Many of such supplements are difficult to provide, however, due to being soluble in water which causes the supplements to dissolve before they can be ingested.

However, the difficulty involved in the analysis of higher order, water insoluble oligomers, presents a unique challenge to biochromatography.

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