Production of amino acids and enzymes used therefor

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A process of converting an .
alpha.
-amino amide to an .
alpha.
-amino acid comprising conducting a conversion reaction catalyzed by an amidase enzyme, in which the .
alpha.
-amino amide starting material comprises amide enantiomers (A) and (B) and in the conversion reaction enantiomer (A) is converted preferentially over enantiomer (B), characterized in that the amidase enzyme is produced by Rhodococcus NCIMB 40795 or Rhodococcus wratslaviensis NCIMB 13082, and in which the amidase enzyme is capable of converting enantiomer (A) such that it gives an enantiomeric excess of at least 90% independently of the conversion time.
2.
A process according to claim 1 in which the amidase enzyme is capable of converting enantiomer (A) such that it gives an enantiomeric excess of at least 98% independently of the conversion time.
3.
A process according to claim 1 in which the .
alpha.
-amino amide starting material is a racemic mixture of enantiomers (A) and (B).
4.
A process according to claim 1 in which the enantiomer (B) is present in excess over enantiomer (A) for at least 30 minutes during the conversion reaction.
5.
A process according to claim 4 in which the amount of enantiomer (B) is at least 150% of the amount of enantiomer (A) for at least 30 minutes during the conversion reaction.
6.
A process according to claim 1 in which the .
alpha.
-amino amide has the formula I: ##STR10## in which R is alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, alkaryl; aralkyl, R.
sup.
1 NHCOR.
sup.
1, R.
sup.
1 CONHR.
sup.
1, SO.
sub.
2 R.
sup.
1 or SO.
sub.
2 NHR.
sup.
1 in which R.
sup.
1 is alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, alkaryl or aralkyl, or substituted versions of any of these, preferably C.
sub.
4 to C.
sub.
9 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, cyclic alkyl or alkenyl, phenyl, or substituted phenyl in which the substituent is selected from para-CH.
sub.
3, meta-CH.
sub.
3, ortho-CH.
sub.
3, para-CF.
sub.
3, para-Et, para-(CH.
sub.
3).
sub.
3 C, para-Cl, para-CH.
sub.
3 (CH.
sub.
2).
sub.
3 O and para-OH