Towards an understanding of oleate hydratases and their application in industrial processes.

Fatty acid hydratases are unique to microorganisms. Their native function is the oxidation of unsaturated C-C bonds to enable detoxification of environmental toxins. Within this enzyme family, the oleate hydratases (Ohys), which catalyze the hydroxylation of oleic acid to 10-(R)-hydroxy stearic acid (10-HSA) have recently gained particular industrial interest.

CryoEM analysis of small plant biocatalysts at sub-2 Å resolution.

Enzyme catalysis has emerged as a key technology for developing efficient, sustainable processes in the chemical, biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. Plants provide large and diverse pools of biosynthetic enzymes that facilitate complex reactions, such as the formation of intricate terpene carbon skeletons, with exquisite specificity. High-resolution structural analysis of these enzymes is crucial in order to understand their mechanisms and modulate their properties by targeted engineering.

A Structural View on the Stereospecificity of Plant Borneol-Type Dehydrogenases.

The development of sustainable processes for the valorization of byproducts and other waste streams remains an ongoing challenge in the field of catalysis. Racemic borneol, isoborneol and camphor are currently produced from α-pinene, a side product from the production of cellulose. The pure enantiomers of these monoterpenoids have numerous applications in cosmetics and act as reagents for asymmetric synthesis, making an enzymatic route for their separation into optically pure enantiomers a desirable goal.