Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Liliana Calzadiaz-Ramirez, Anne S. Meyer
Summary: New measures are urgently needed to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels. Formate dehydrogenases (FDHs) have the potential to catalyze the conversion of CO2 to formate, providing a novel first step approach for biocatalytic carbon capture and utilization. However, improvements are needed in the efficacy of the electron donor, enzyme stabilization, and enhancing the desired reverse FDH reactivity. Recent research has shown that the commonly used cofactor NADH is inefficient for FDH catalyzed CO2 conversion. Understanding the details of the redox reactions and structure-function relations of both metal dependent and metal-independent FDHs is crucial for promoting enzymatic CO2 utilization.
CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Hiroki Ishikawa, Taiga Yurino, Ryo Komatsu, Ming-Yuan Gao, Noriyoshi Arai, Taichiro Touge, Kazuhiko Matsumura, Takeshi Ohkuma
Summary: Racemic alpha-substituted alpha-amino esters were hydrogenated into enantioenriched beta-amino alcohols through dynamic kinetic resolution with chiral ruthenabicyclic complexes. The reaction proceeded with 1,2-hydride migration of the a-amino acetalate intermediate into the alpha-hydroxy imine followed by the continuous reduction of the imino compound, affording the amino alcohol product.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Matteo Damian, Francesco G. Mutti
Summary: Enantiomerically pure alcohols are crucial for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, agrochemicals, and fine chemicals. This study investigates the substrate scope, chemo- and enantioselectivity of two NAD-dependent anti-Prelog alcohol dehydrogenases in the asymmetric reduction of ketones.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guang-Huey Lin, Ming-Chuan Hsieh, Hung-Yu Shu
Summary: Research on Acinetobacter baumannii shows that ADH4 primarily participates in alcohol metabolism, while ADH3 and ADH6 play key roles in stress resistance and virulence. Further investigation into the roles of other ADHs in A. baumannii is warranted.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Mario Benito, Ramon Roman, Garazi Ortiz, Antoni Casablancas, Gregorio alvaro, Gloria Caminal, Gloria Gonzalez, Marina Guillen
Summary: In this study, two different Carbohydrate-Binding Modules (CBM3 and CBM9) were successfully fused with alcohol dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fusion proteins were immobilized to a low-cost and highly selective cellulosic support through a one-step immobilization/purification process, retaining almost total activity. CBM9 tag proved to be useful in protein purification.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lisa Hitschler, Laura Sofie Nissen, Michelle Kuntz, Mirko Basen
Summary: By studying enzymes in Thermoanaerobacter, it was found that AdhE and AdhB play important roles in alcohol production from sugar and reduction of organic acids, while the functions of AdhA-type enzymes are less clear. Future research is needed to elucidate the role of aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductase in bio-alcohol formation.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Jianhui Qiao, Wenju Chang, Wenxuan Zhao, Yong Liang, Shaozhong Wang
Summary: A kinetic resolution method has been developed for racemic spiroindolines with s factors <= 15200, allowing the access to enantiomerically enriched indoleannulated medium-sized lactams and spiroindolines through Ir-catalyzed asymmetric allylative ring-opening reaction. Density functional theory calculations support the accurate discrimination of two spiroindoline enantiomers by (eta(3)-allyl)-iridium(III) species and ensure the stereoselective formation of two contiguous stereogenic centers and one axis in the medium-sized lactams.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Satoshi Horino, Tomoya Nishio, Shinji Kawanishi, Shinya Oki, Koichi Nishihara, Takashi Ikawa, Kyohei Kanomata, Karla Wagner, Harald Groeger, Shuji Akai
Summary: In this study, a method for obtaining S enantiomers from secondary 3-(trialkylsilyl)propargyl alcohols was achieved by using a well-known R-selective Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase in combination with a racemization catalyst VMPS4, in which the silyl group reverses the size relationship of substituents near the carbinol moiety. Immobilization of the lipase on Celite was found to be important for achieving a high efficiency of the dynamic kinetic resolution.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alice Vetrano, Francesco Gabriele, Nicoletta Spreti
Summary: Horse Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase (HLADH) was immobilized on calcium-alginate beads for oxidation and reduction reactions. By adding calcium ions, the beads were able to maintain their structure and showed optimal performance at a concentration of 2 mM Ca2+. The immobilized enzyme demonstrated excellent reusability, storage stability, and thermal stability.
Article
Biology
Chong Sha, Qiang Wang, Hongcheng Wang, Yilan Duan, Chongmao Xu, Lian Wu, Kesen Ma, Weilan Shao, Yu Jiang
Summary: This study identified that Fe-AAdh and Fe-Adh2 are the main enzymes responsible for ethanol production in Tne, while Zn-Adh plays a major role in ethanol consumption. These findings could potentially facilitate the development of a novel hyperthermophilic strain for cellulosic ethanol production.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Stefan Brott, Ki Hyun Nam, Francois Thomas, Theresa Dutschei, Lukas Reisky, Maike Behrens, Hanna C. C. Grimm, Gurvan Michel, Thomas Schweder, Uwe T. T. Bornscheuer
Summary: Marine algae produce complex polysaccharides that can be degraded by marine heterotrophic bacteria using carbohydrate-active enzymes. The degradation of the red algal polysaccharide porphyran involves oxidative demethylation, catalyzed by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and its redox partners. Genes encoding zinc-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) were found near the genes for key enzymes in this process. The physiological role of these marine ADHs was investigated and it was found that they are required for the utilization of a specific substrate, G6Me.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Robert van Lis, Yohann Coute, Sabine Brugiere, Nicolas J. Tourasse, Benoist Laurent, Wolfgang Nitschke, Olivier Vallon, Ariane Atteia
Summary: This study reveals the biochemical and enzymatic divergence between two aldehyde-alcohol dehydrogenases in the alga Polytomella sp., and identifies two ADHE genes with different enzymatic activities, shedding light on the evolutionary history of enzymes in microalgae. The uneven distribution of ADHE genes among free-living algae and the presence of distinct genes in various species suggest a complex evolutionary pathway involving gene acquisition, duplication, and independent evolution of enzymatic domains. The discovery of potential functional diversification in Polytomella spp. after the loss of photosynthesis provides insights into the complex evolutionary processes shaping enzyme evolution in microalgae.
PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jia Shen Chew, Thi Thanh Nha Ho, Chi-Lik Ken Lee
Summary: Conducting miniaturized reactions in parallel can increase laboratory productivity without depleting high value reagents. Coating thin layers of solid reagents with polystyrene beads offers an elegant strategy to address the microscale high throughput solid dispensing challenge. The successful utilization of Biobeads on polystyrene beads for high throughput reaction screening with nanomole quantities of ketoreductase demonstrates a promising approach for asymmetric biocatalytic reactions.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Baixue Liu, Peng Liu, Xue Wang, Feng Feng, Zhen Wang, Wenqiang Yang
Summary: A general method for the gram-scale enantioselective synthesis of P-stereogenic cyclic phosphine oxides has been developed using copper-catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution, leading to high yields and high enantioselectivities. The resulting products can be easily reduced to obtain useful P(III)-stereogenic cyclic phosphines. A proposed mechanism involves the unusual rapid racemization of SPOs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marta Meneghello, Ana Rita Oliveira, Aurore Jacq-Bailly, Ines A. C. Pereira, Christophe Leger, Vincent Fourmond
Summary: Mo/W formate dehydrogenases catalyze the reversible reduction of CO2 to formate, and it has been definitively demonstrated through an electrochemical method that the substrate is indeed CO2, not a hydrated species like HCO3-.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Romero-Fernandez, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: The study presents a one-pot enzymatic cascade for the direct conversion of racemic alcohols into enantiopure chiral amines with high enantioselectivities. This method allows for the efficient transformation of waste reagents into valuable products, with in-situ cofactor recycling.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Joseph P. Byrne, Lidia Delgado, Francesca Paradisi, Martin Albrecht
Summary: Two sets of carbohydrate-NHC hybrid iridium complexes were synthesized to combine properties of carbohydrates and triazolylidene ligands in organometallic catalysis. The complexes efficiently catalyzed the direct hydrogenation of ketones in water, with the catalytic activity influenced by the pH of the aqueous medium. The directly linked systems induced a moderate enantiomeric excess.
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
David Lim, David Roura Padrosa, Gordon Honeyman, Keir Penston, Francesca Paradisi
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Isabel Benitez-Mateos, Andreas Schneider, Eimear Hegarty, Bernhard Hauer, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: The researchers have found that spheroplasts of squalene-hopene cyclase, obtained by removing the outer cell membrane, exhibit higher catalytic activity compared to the enzymes and whole cells. They also introduce a concept of crosslinking the spheroplasts for recycling and reuse. These findings provide a potential solution for the production of bioactive compounds in a sustainable and cost-efficient manner.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ana I. Benitez-Mateos, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: Extremophilic microorganisms are being used as tools for biotechnological applications due to their resistance to extreme conditions. Enzymes from Halomonas elongata are suitable for biocatalysis due to their resistance to salt and ease of production. This study highlights the diverse enzymes from H. elongata and their potential as efficient and sustainable biocatalysts, aiming to integrate biocatalysis in industrial set-ups.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Roura Padros, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: Protein bioinformatics has been widely used in enzyme engineering and discovery, but its application in enzyme immobilization is still limited. This study presents the use of bioinformatic tools to rationalize the results of protein immobilization, moving us closer to predictive enzyme immobilization protocols.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chiara Samori, Walter Pitacco, Martina Vagnoni, Emilio Catelli, Thomas Colloricchio, Chiara Gualandi, Luciana Mantovani, Alessio Mezzi, Giorgia Sciutto, Paola Galletti
Summary: De-pulped multilayer packaging waste containing LDPE and aluminium was separated into its components using sustainable solvents. High purity LDPE and aluminium were recovered using biodiesel, 2-MeTHF, and CPME. The recovered LDPE showed similarity to the original polymer, while analysis confirmed the non-oxidative behavior of the solvents. The mass balance of the recovered materials and solvents was close to 100%.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lucia Robustini, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: Enzymatic synthesis always involves enantioselectivity, and it is possible to induce a switch in enantioselectivity by adjusting reaction conditions. For instance, the transaminase from Halomonas elongata (& omega;-HeWT) can shift from generating the S-enantiomer to the R-enantiomer at higher concentrations of amino acceptor or ionic strength. Similar behavior has been observed in other enzymes, and this article discusses some of them and their potential applications.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
David Lim, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: Glycosylation can improve the pharmacokinetic properties of bioactive molecules, but their syntheses often require tedious protecting group manipulations. In this study, we developed a method for direct aqueous conversion of unprotected sugars into glycosides, and demonstrated its application with various biomolecules including resorcinol, resveratrol, and gimeracil. We also showed that the bioactive drug can be released from the sugar in an oxidatively-triggered manner, making them suitable for medicinal applications. This novel transformation provides access to various selenium-containing glycomimetics and glycoconjugates.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ana I. Benitez-Mateos, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: Flow biocatalysis is an empowering tool for automatized, sustainable, and efficient enzymatic reactions in industrial operations. Its development in the past fifteen years has been significant, although there are still challenges to be overcome.
JOURNAL OF FLOW CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Sabrina de Lorenzo, Lauriane Pillet, David Lim, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: A one-pot synthesis method for glycosyl benzoates from unprotected sugars in water using 2-chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride, thiobenzoic acid, and triethylamine was developed. These glycosyl donors were found to be excellent substrates for both wild-type and mutant glycosidases. The hydrolysis of β-glucosyl benzoate by the GH1 β-glucosidase from Halothermothrix orenii was demonstrated, and the donor's superiority in thioligase-mediated glycosylation was shown with high conversions.
ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hippolyte Meersseman Arango, Ludivine van den Biggelaar, Patrice Soumillion, Patricia Luis, Tom Leyssens, Francesca Paradisi, Damien P. Debecker
Summary: Chiral amines are crucial for the synthesis of many valuable compounds, including active pharmaceutical ingredients. However, the current production methods are expensive and energy-intensive. Biocatalytic routes using amine transaminases offer a more sustainable and efficient alternative, but their industrial applications are limited due to operational restrictions and enzyme instability.
REACTION CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stefania Gianolio, David Roura Padrosa, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: This study introduces a novel chemoenzymatic strategy for the rapid synthesis of valuable plant chemical compound hordenine, reducing environmental impact and improving production rate.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lauriane Pillet, David Lim, Nourah Almulhim, Ana Benitez-Mateos, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: This study presents the first example of engineering an extremophilic glycosyl hydrolase from Halothermothrix orenii (HorGH1) towards thioglycosynthase activity. By introducing a novel combination of mutations, the triple mutant HorGH1 M299R/E166A/E354G, a range of thioglycosides with high stereoselectivity and good to excellent conversions (61-93%) could be synthesized using glycosyl fluoride donors and aromatic thiols.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ana Benitez-Mateos, Calvin Klein, David Roura Padrosa, Francesca Paradisi
Summary: Four pharmaceutically relevant nucleoside analogues were synthesized using a novel thymidine phosphorylase from H. elongata. The enzyme was immobilized on microbeads and used as a packed-bed reactor for continuous production of halogenated nucleosides, achieving a high conversion rate. The highest space-time yield reported to date was obtained for the synthesis of floxuridine.
CATALYSIS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
