The use of enzymes, nature´s own catalysts, both isolated or as whole cells to perform chemical transformations is called biocatalysis. As a complement to classical chemical catalysis, biocatalysis can be an environmentally friendly and more economical option in the production and synthesis of chemicals. Research on the application of amine transaminases in synthesis of chiral amines have exploded over the last two decades and interest from the industry is increasing. Amine transaminases are promising catalysts due to their ability to perform reductive amination of ketones with excellent enantioselectivity. For a process to be efficient, high substrate specificity of the applied enzyme is an important factor. A variant of Chromobacterium violaceum amine transaminase that was obtained through rational design has an increased specific activity toward (S)-1-phenylethylamine and a set of 4´-substituted acetophenones. This result makes this variant a promising catalyst for the asymmetric synthesis of similar amines. Amine transaminase catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of amines generally suffers from unfavorable equilibrium. Two methods that include spontaneous tautomerization and biocatalytic amidation for equilibrium displacement have therefore been developed. Efficient assays and screening methods are demanded for the discovery and development of novel amine transaminases. For this purpose, a sensitive fluorescence-based assay that holds promise as a high-throughput screening method was developed. One of the major obstacles for application of enzymes in industrial processes is the instability of the enzyme toward harsh conditions. The stability of Chromobacterium violaceum amine transaminase was investigated and improved using co-solvents and other additives. Co-lyophilization with surfactants was also applied to improve the performance of the same enzyme in organic solvents. / <p>QC 20161017</p>

Yes / Here, we report how the stability of polyion complex (PIC) particles containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa’s elastase (LasB) degradable peptides and antimicrobial poly(ethylene imine) is significantly improved by careful design of the peptide component. Three LasB‐degradable peptides are reported herein, all of them carrying the LasB‐degradable sequence −GLA− and for which the number of anionic amino acids and cysteine units per peptide were systematically varied. Our results suggest that while net charge and potential to cross‐link via disulfide bond formation do not have a predictable effect on the ability of LasB to degrade these peptides, a significant effect of these two parameters on particle preparation and stability is observed. A range of techniques has been used to characterize these new materials and demonstrates that increasing the charge and cross‐linking potential of the peptides results in PIC particles with better stability in physiological conditions and upon storage. These results highlight the importance of molecular design for the preparation of PIC particles and should underpin the future development of these materials for responsive drug delivery. / Wellcome Trust, EPSRC, Birminghan Science City, European Regional Development Fund, University of Birmingham

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of: Pharmaceutical Technology Consultant: PharmDr. Ondřej Holas, Ph.D. Student: Michaela Šitnerová Title of Thesis: Protein macromolecules immobilization onto polymer carriers Enzymes are unique biocatalysts because of their properties. They are highly specific, selective and functional even under mild reaction conditions. The method of immobilization is used to increase their operational stability, activity and possible reuse. This process allows the wide use of enzymes in industry, for example in the food industry, analytical chemistry, chemical synthesis and in the pharmaceutical industry. The aim of my thesis was immobilized enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) on the surface pellets of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Used method was simple sorption, immobilization using glutaraldehyde, and TEMPO oxidation using MCC. Well known Ellman's method served to measure the activity of AChE. The absorbance of the solution with the immobilized AChE was measured spectrophotometrically at 412 nm.

Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of: Pharmaceutical Technology Consultant: PharmDr. Ondřej Holas, Ph.D. Student: Helena Badalcová Title of Thesis: Immobilization of protein macromolecules onto polymer carriers: An overview Since the 70s, the immobilised enzymes have been getting the attention of not only scientific and laboratory workers, but also industrial companies. Enzymes are unique biocatalysts, which are distinguished by their specificity, environment-friendliness and the ability to react under mild conditions can be easily subject of denaturation or inhibition. With regard to the usually high cost of purchase, the use of these enzymes could often be disadvantageous. Immobilization techniques offer an efficient solution to this problem and greatly simplify the use of enzymes in industry and research. Compared to the free forms, immobilized enzymes show greater activity, stability and allow repeated use as well as easier separation from products. This thesis contains an overview of the basic methods of immobilization - physical absorption and covalent bonds to the carrier, entrapment, encapsulation and carrier- free techniques using cross-linking. Finally, we outline possible biomedical applications as well as the use of immobilised enzymes in biosensors.

Die Chorismatmutase (CM, EC 5.4.99.5), kodiert durch ARO7, katalysiert die Claisen-Umlagerung von Chorismat zu Prephenat in der Biosynthese von Tyrosin und Phenylalanin. Das relativ kleine, dimere Enzym der Hefe Saccharomyces cerevisiae wird allosterisch durch Tryptophan aktiviert und allosterisch durch Tyrosin inhibiert. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Theorie widerlegt, dass die Chorismatemutase an der Osmoregulation und Vakuolenentstehung beteiligt ist. Die Analyse einiger Stämme mit punktmutiertem oder deletiertem ARO7-Gen zeigte ausschließlich eine Funktion in der Aminosäure-Biosynthese. Die Fusion an das grün-fluoreszierende Protein ermöglichte die Lokalisierung der CM in Cytoplasma und Kern der Hefezelle.Auf Proteinebene wurde der intramolekulare Signalübertragungsweg von den allosterischen zu den aktiven Zentren näher untersucht. Es wurden Chimären-Enzyme hergestellt, in denen das molekulare Scharnier L220s zwischen der katalytischen und allosterischen Domäne ausgetauscht wurde gegen den entsprechenden Bestandteil homologer Pilzenzyme. Die kinetische Analyse zeigte, dass dieser Proteinteil essentiell ist für die Unterscheidung zwischen dem Signal Aktivierung bzw. Inhibierung. Diese Region ist auch für die Dimerisierung der CM von Bedeutung. Durch Austausch hydrophober Aminosäuren gegen geladene Reste in und in der Nähe dieses Scharniers wurde eine stabile, monomere Enzymvariante hergestellt. Diese CM zeigte reduzierte Aktivität und keine Regulation, aber das kodierende Gen komplementierte die Tyrosin- und Phenylalanin-Auxotrophie der Zellen. Diese Ergebnisse unterstützen die Theorie, dass das Hefeenzym durch gleichzeitige Evolution von Regulations- und Stabilisierungsmechanismen aus einem monomeren, unregulierten Vorläuferprotein entstanden ist, welches dem der Escherichia coli CM ähnlich war. Um weitere Erkenntnisse über die Prinzipien der Proteinstabilisierung zu erhalten, wurde auch die Chorismatmutase on Thermus thermophilus charakterisiert, nachdem das kodierende Gen kloniert war. Dieses Enzym ist ähnlich zu der strukturell einzigartigen Chorismatmutae aus Bacillus subtilis, wird aber, im Gegensatz zu letzterem durch Tyrosin in seiner Aktivität gehemmt. Modellierungsstudien zeigten, dass wie auch bei anderen Proteinen verstärkte Hydrophilität von Oberflächen, erhöhte Hydrophobizität innerhalb der Struktur wie auch die Versteifung von Loops in der Nähe des aktiven Zentrums zur Stabilisierung dieser Proteinfaltung beitragen.