The gene coding for -lactate dehydrogenase (-LDH) from DSM 20284 was cloned and expressed in . The recombinant enzyme was purified by nickel-affinity chromatography. It converted phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) to 3-phenyllactic acid maximally at 30A degrees C and pH 5.5 with a specific activity of 140 and 422 U/mg for PPA and pyruvate, respectively. The (m), turnover number ( (cat)), and catalytic efficiency ( (cat)/ (m)) for PPA were 2.9 mM, 305 s(-1), and 105 mM(-1) s(-1), respectively.