Expanding the synthetic scope of biocatalysis by enzyme discovery and protein engineering

Despite the growing impact of enzyme catalysis in industrial chemistry, the full potential of this technology is yet to be unlocked. Accessing new chemistries and expanding the scope of existing reactions is necessary in order to make biocatalysis a pivotal technology in the manufacturing of chemicals across the whole industrial spectrum. This review highlights how the biocatalytic toolbox for synthetic chemistry has recently been expanded by extending the scope of industrially relevant reactions, and the addition of new reactions via enzyme discovery or protein engineering. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The full potential of enzyme catalysis in industrial chemistry has yet to be unlocked, but accessing new chemistries and expanding existing reactions are necessary for making biocatalysis a pivotal technology in chemical manufacturing. Recently, the biocatalytic toolbox for synthetic chemistry has been expanded by extending the scope of industrially relevant reactions and adding new reactions through enzyme discovery or protein engineering.