Enantioselective desymmetrisation of citric acid catalysed by the substrate-tolerant petrobactin biosynthetic enzyme AsbA

AsbA catalyses the highly enantioselective desymmetrisation of citric acid via ATP-dependent condensation with spermidine, as well as the condensation of citric acid with several spermidine analogues and the condensation of the citric acid analogue tricarballylic acid with spermidine, suggesting that it may be a useful biocatalyst for asymmetric synthesis.