Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of chiral amides. A systematic study of the variables that control the synthesis

Label-Free Fluorescence Quantification of Hydrolytic Enzyme Activity on Native Substrates Reveals How Lipase Function Depends on Membrane Curvature

Lipases are important hydrolytic enzymes used in a spectrum of technological applications, such as the pharmaceutical and detergent industries. Because of their versatile nature and ability to accept a broad range of substrates, they have been extensively used for biotechnological and industrial applications. Current assays to measure lipase activity primarily rely on low-sensitivity measurements of pH variations or visible changes of material properties, like hydration, and often require high amounts of proteins. Fluorescent readouts, on the other hand, offer high contrast and even single-molecule sensitivity, albeit they are reliant on fluorogenic substrates that structurally resemble the native ones. Here we present a method that combines the highly sensitive readout of fluorescent techniques while reporting enzymatic lipase function on native substrates. The method relies on embedding the environmentally sensitive fluorescent dye pHrodo and native substrates into the bilayer of liposomes. The charged products of the enzymatic hydrolysis alter the local membrane environment and thus the fluorescence intensity of pHrodo. The fluorescence can be accurately quantified and directly assigned to product formation and thus enzymatic activity. We illustrated the capacity of the assay to report the function of diverse lipases and phospholipases both in a microplate setup and at the single-particle level on individual nanoscale liposomes using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF). The parallelized sensitive readout of microscopy combined with the inherent polydispersity in sizes of liposomes allowed us to screen the effect of membrane curvature on lipase function and identify how mutations in the lid region control the membrane curvature-dependent activity. We anticipate this methodology to be applicable for sensitive activity readouts for a spectrum of enzymes where the product of the enzymatic reaction is charged.

Direct observation of Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase diffusional states by Single Particle Tracking and their remodeling by mutations and inhibition

Lipases are interfacially activated enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of ester bonds and constitute prime candidates for industrial and biotechnological applications ranging from detergent industry, to chiral organic synthesis. As a result, there is an incentive to understand the mechanisms underlying lipase activity at the molecular level, so as to be able to design new lipase variants with tailor-made functionalities. Our understanding of lipase function primarily relies on bulk assay averaging the behavior of a high number of enzymes masking structural dynamics and functional heterogeneities. Recent advances in single molecule techniques based on fluorogenic substrate analogues revealed the existence of lipase functional states, and furthermore so how they are remodeled by regulatory cues. Single particle studies of lipases on the other hand directly observed diffusional heterogeneities and suggested lipases to operate in two different modes. Here to decipher how mutations in the lid region controls Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) diffusion and function we employed a Single Particle Tracking (SPT) assay to directly observe the spatiotemporal localization of TLL and rationally designed mutants on native substrate surfaces. Parallel imaging of thousands of individual TLL enzymes and HMM analysis allowed us to observe and quantify the diffusion, abundance and microscopic transition rates between three linearly interconverting diffusional states for each lipase. We proposed a model that correlate diffusion with function that allowed us to predict that lipase regulation, via mutations in lid region or product inhibition, primarily operates via biasing transitions to the active states.

Synthesis of diphenylamine-based novel fluorescent styryl colorants by Knoevenagel condensation using a conventional method, biocatalyst, and deep eutectic solvent

Novel Y-shaped acceptor-pi-donor-pi-acceptor-type compounds, synthesized from 4,4'-hexyliminobisbenzaldehyde as electron donors and different active methylene compounds as electron acceptors, were produced by conventional Knoevenagel condensation alone, with a deep eutectic solvent, or with a lipase biocatalyst to compare the yield and recyclability among the three methods. Yield, reaction time, reaction temperature, and recyclability were compared among the three methods. The photophysical properties and thermal stability of the products were also investigated.

Optimization of the enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of amino acid-based surfactants from palm oil fractions

The feasibility of using palm oil fractions as cheap and abundant sources of raw material for the synthesis of amino acid surfactants was investigated. Of a number of enzymes screened, the best results were obtained with the immobilized enzyme, Lipozyme. The effects of temperature, solvent, incubation period, fatty substrate/amino acid molar ratio, enzyme amount, and water removal on the reactions were analyzed and compared to those on reactions with free fatty acids and pure triglycerides as fatty substrates. All reactions were most efficient when carried out at high temperatures (70-80 degrees C) in hexane as a solvent. However, while reactions with free fatty acids proceeded better when a slight excess of the free fatty acids over the amino acids was used, reactions with triglycerides and palm oil fractions were best performed at equimolar ratios. Also, the addition of molecular sieves slightly enhanced reactions with free fatty acids but adversely affected reactions with triglycerides and palm oil fractions. Although reactions with palm oil fractions took longer (6 d) to reach equilibrium compared to reactions with free fatty acids (4 d) and pure triglycerides (4 d), better yields were obtained. Such lipase-catalyzed transacylation of palm oil fractions with amino acids is potentially useful in the production of mixed medium- to long-chain surfactants for specific applications.

Enantioselective enzymatic aminolysis of a racemic 2-isoxazolylacetate alkyl ester

Pseudomonas cepacia lipase or Candida antartica lipase B catalyzes the enantioselective aminolysis of a racemic 2-isoxazolylacetate alkyl ester, isobutyl 2-[3-(4-cyanophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazolyl]acetate, by 3-amino-N-(butoxycarbonyl)-L-alanine methyl ester, mono(4-methylbenzenesulfonate) to produce the corresponding amide, (R)-methyl-3-[[[3-(4-cyanophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazolyl]acetyl]amino]-N-(butoxycarbonyl)-L-alanine, which is an intermediate in the preparation of an isoxazoline-based platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist. Key words: enantioselective aminolysis, Pseudomonas cepacia lipase, Candida antartica lipase B.

Non-conventional hydrolase chemistry: amide and carbamate bond formation catalyzed by lipases

Biocatalysis in nonaqueous media is becoming increasingly important in organic synthesis. Lipases are the most used enzymes, especially in transesterification reactions. However, in the last years the amidation reaction catalyzed by lipases has also been shown to be a useful tool for the organic chemists. In this review, we discuss the possibilities of the enzymatic aminolysis and ammonolysis reactions for the preparation of different amides and for the resolution of esters, amines and aminoalcohols. The enzymatic alkoxycarbonylation of amines opens a new way for the synthesis of chiral carbamates.