Recent Progress in the Mechanism and Engineering of α/β Hydrolases for Chiral Chemical Production

Chiral compounds are valuable industrial products and intermediates, and the production of chemicals with high enantiopurity is one of the major objects in asymmetric catalysis. Compared with traditional chemical synthesis, enzymatic synthesis can produce chiral molecules under sustainable conditions which are much greener, more economical, and more environmentally friendly. The superfamily of alpha/beta hydrolases includes a lot of diverse enzymes showing excellent chemo-, regio-, and enantio-selectivity in asymmetric synthesis and many of them are biocatalysts in industry. This review outlines the current knowledge of the structures and reaction mechanism of alpha/beta hydrolases and summarizes the screening and protein engineering efforts to develop biocatalysts for chiral chemicals production in recent years. Other strategies such as whole-cell catalysis and protein immobilization to improve the performance of alpha/beta hydrolases are also discussed. The progress in biocatalyst development based on alpha/beta hydrolases will promote the biosynthesis of chiral compounds, thus contributing to the green and sustainable development of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Automated summary

Chiral compounds play an important role in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, and the production of high enantiopurity chemicals is a major goal in asymmetric catalysis. Enzymatic synthesis, particularly using alpha/beta hydrolases, offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to produce chiral molecules. This review highlights the current understanding of the structures and reaction mechanisms of alpha/beta hydrolases, as well as the efforts in screening and protein engineering to develop biocatalysts for chiral chemicals production. Other strategies, such as whole-cell catalysis and protein immobilization, are also discussed to enhance the performance of alpha/beta hydrolases. The progress in biocatalyst development based on alpha/beta hydrolases will contribute to the green and sustainable development of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.