Highlights in Biocatalysis - Historical Landmarks and Current Trends

Abstract

Biocatalysis has ancient roots, yet it is developing into a key tool for synthesis in a wide range of applications. Important events in the history of enzyme technology from the 19th century onwards are highlighted. Considering the most relevant progress steps, the production of penicillanic acid and the impact of genetic engineering are traced in more detail. Applied biocatalysis has been defined as the application of a biocatalyst to achieve a desired conversion selectively, under controlled, mild conditions in a bioreactor. Biocatalysts are currently used to produce a wide range of products in the fields of food manufacture (such as bread, cheese, beer), fine chemicals (e.g., amino acids, vitamins), and pharmaceuticals (e.g., derivatives of antibiotics). They not only provide access to innovative products and processes, but also meet criteria of sustainability. In organic synthesis, recombinant technologies and biocatalysts have greatly widened the scope of application. Examples of current applications and processes are given. Recent developments and trends are presented as a survey, covering new methods for accessing biodiversity with new enzymes, directed evolution for improving enzymes, designed cells, and integrated downstream processing.

Substrate Conformations Set the Rate of Enzymatic Acrylation by Lipases

“…We investigated the influence of substrate conformations on the experimentally determined reaction rates of the enzyme-catalysed transacylation of methyl acrylate and derivatives by ab initio DFT B3LYP calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The results supported a least-motion mechanism upon the sp 2 to sp 3 substrate transition to reach the transition state in the enzyme active site. This was in accordance with our hypothesis that acrylates form productive transition states from their low-energy s-sis/s-trans conformations.…”

“…Lipases are of industrial interest due to their high stability in organic media, substrate tolerance and stereoselectivity. [2] Regioselective transacylation of ethyl acrylate with sterically hindered diols to obtain the monoester by using lipase from Chromobacterium viscosum has been described in the literature. [3] Lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB, also known as Pseudozyma antarctica lipase B) showed the best catalytic performance in the transacylation of methyl acrylate with undecan-1-ol out of 19 enzymes tested.…”

Improved Immobilization Supports for Candida Antarctica Lipase B

“…Enzymatic processes in fi elds such as food and leather manufacturing have ancient roots, yet application of enzymes for organic synthesis is still a relatively young and a much developing discipline [29] . In a few cases the conversion is straight forward and commercially available enzymes can be applied like any other standard shelf chemical.…”

Transformações biológicas: contribuições e perspectivas

“…5 Em 1897, Eduard Büchner relatou que os extratos celulares isolados de células de leveduras eram capazes de promover a fermentação alcoólica, concluindo assim que o agente responsável pelo processo não era a maquinaria celular complexa do microrganismo, mas sim uma substância solúvel, então chamada de "zimase", iniciando nesse momento as biotransformações com extratos celulares. 6 Paradoxalmente, a I Guerra Mundial motivou a produção em escala industrial de produtos resultantes de processo fermentativo como, por exemplo, a obtenção de grandes quantidades de glicerol para a fabricação de explosivos, 7 e o processo ABE (acetona, butanol e etanol) desenvolvido pelo químico Chaims Weizmann (que posteriormente se tornou o 1º Presidente do Estado de Israel). O processo permitia a produção de grandes quantidades de acetona, para fabricação de munição, promovida pela bactéria Clostridium acetobutylicum, e gerava butanol e etanol como subprodutos.…”

“…A partir da década de 70, as técnicas de engenharia genética tornaram possível a obtenção de organismos e proteínas recombinantes, de modo a produzir substâncias ou catalisar reações para as quais aqueles não se encontravam naturalmente programados. 6 Estas técnicas ganharam aplicação em vários processos industriais, sendo um dos pioneiros a fabricação da insulina recombinante. 12 Foi nessa mesma década, com a crise do petróleo, que o interesse em processos visando a busca por combustíveis alternativos cresceu, culminando com a renovação do processo de fermentação ABE e o desenvolvimento do etanol combustível no Brasil.…”