US Patent 7446187 Plasmids and utilization thereof

A shuttle vector is constructed by preparing a DNA region replicable in bacteria belonging to the genus Rhodococcus from a Rhodococcus-derived plasmid having the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 73 and a plasmid or its DNA fragment having the nucleotide sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 74, and a DNA region replicable in E. coli from an E. coli-derived plasmid or its DNA fragment. An aminoketone asymmetric reductase gene is inserted into the shuttle vector, transformants containing the vector are created, and the aminoketone asymmetric reductase and optically active aminoalcohols are produced.