Catalytic mechanism, molecular engineering and applications of threonine aldolases.

Qijia Chen; Xi Chen; Jianxiong Hao; Dunming Zhu

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Catalytic mechanism, molecular engineering and applications of threonine aldolases.

Author: Qijia CHEN ¹ ; Xi CHEN ² ; Jianxiong HAO ¹ ; Dunming ZHU ²
Author Information

1. College of Biological Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang 050018, Hebei, China.
2. National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China.
Publication Type:Review
Keywords: D-threonine aldolase; L-threonine aldolase; catalytic mechanism; molecular engineering; β-hydroxy-α-amino acid
MeSH: Amino Acids; Catalysis; Glycine; Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase/metabolism*; Kinetics; Substrate Specificity; Threonine
From: Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2021;37(12):4215-4230
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Threonine aldolases catalyze the aldol condensation of aldehydes with glycine to furnish β-hydroxy-α-amino acid with two stereogenic centers in a single reaction. This is one of the most promising green methods for the synthesis of optically pure β-hydroxy-α-amino acid with high atomic economy and less negative environmental impact. Several threonine aldolases from different origins have been identified and characterized. The insufficient -carbon stereoselectivity and the challenges of balancing kinetic versus thermodynamic control to achieve the optimal optical purity and yield hampered the application of threonine aldolases. This review summarizes the recent advances in discovery, catalytic mechanism, high-throughput screening, molecular engineering and applications of threonine aldolases, with the aim to provide some insights for further research in this field.