Synthesis of cefminox by cell-free extracts of Streptomyces clavuligerus

In vitro synthesis of cefminox by cell-free extracts of Streptomyces clavuligerus was investigated using α-ketoglutarate, L-ascorbic acid, FeSO 4, S-adenosyl- L-methionine, and 7α-demethoxycefminox as the substrates. The formation of cefminox was detected both by a biological assay with Proteus vulgaris GN 76/C-1 and by high performance liquid chromatography. Although the conversion rate of 7α-demethoxycefminox to cefminox was observed to be quite low, it still demonstrated the potential for an enzymatic process to replace the chemical steps which are currently in use for the production of cefminox.