Patent ID: 8372607

Claim:
An isolated polynucleotide encoding a protein selected from the group consisting of: (A) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, and (B) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, but which includes substitution, deletion, insertion and/or addition of one to 20 amino acids, and wherein said protein is able to catalyze a reaction in which an α-amino acid of formula (1): is reacted with an aldehyde of formula (II): to form a serine derivative of formula (III): wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 14 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 to 19 carbon atoms, an alkoxyalkyl group having 2 to 11 carbon atoms, a group containing a hetero atom in the carbon skeleton thereof, and a group containing a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond in the carbon skeleton thereof, wherein these groups may be straight or branched, may have alicyclic hydrocarbon structure and may further have a substituent, wherein R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 14 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 to 19 carbon atoms, an alkoxyalkyl group having 2 to 11 carbon atoms, a group containing a hetero atom in the carbon skeleton thereof, and a group containing a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond in the carbon skeleton thereof, wherein these groups may be straight or branched, may have an alicyclic hydrocarbon structure and may further have a substituent.