CrossRef enabled

PAC Archives

Archive →

Pure Appl. Chem., 2010, Vol. 82, No. 1, pp. 117-128

http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/PAC-CON-09-01-03

Published online 2010-01-03

How carbonyl reductases control stereoselectivity: Approaching the goal of rational design

Dunming Zhu1* and Ling Hua2

1 State Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
2 China Research Center, Genencor International, A Danisco Division, Shanghai 200335, China

Abstract: Although "Prelog’s rule" and "two hydrophobic binding pockets" model have been used to predict and explain the stereoselectivity of enzymatic ketone reduction, the molecular basis of stereorecognition by carbonyl reductases has not been well understood. The stereoselectivity is not only determined by the structures of enzymes and substrates, but also affected by the reaction conditions such as temperature and reaction medium. Structural analysis coupled with site-directed mutagenesis of stereocomplementary carbonyl reductases readily reveals the key elements of controlling stereoselectivity in these enzymes. In our studies, enzyme-substrate docking and molecular modeling have been engaged to understand the enantioselectivity diversity of the carbonyl reductase from Sporobolomyces salmonicolor (SSCR), and to guide site-saturation mutagenesis for altering the enantioselectivity of this enzyme. These studies provide valuable information for our understanding of how the residues involved in substrate binding affect the orientation of bound substrate, and thus control the reaction stereoselectivity. The in silico docking-guided semi-rational approach should be a useful methodology for discovery of new carbonyl reductases.