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Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Enzymatic Cascade Reactions for the Synthesis of Chiral Amino Alcohols from L-lysine
Published on: February 16, 2018
Enzymes useful for chiral compound synthesis: structural biology, directed evolution, and protein engineering for
Michihiko Kataoka1, Takuya Miyakawa2, Sakayu Shimizu3
1Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuencho, Naka-ku, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531, Japan. kataoka@biochem.osakafu-u.ac.jp.
Abstract:
Biocatalysts (enzymes) have many advantages as catalysts for the production of useful compounds as compared to chemical catalysts. The stereoselectivity of the enzymes is one advantage, and thus the stereoselective production of chiral compounds using enzymes is a promising approach. Importantly, industrial application of the enzymes for chiral compound production requires the discovery of a novel useful enzyme or enzyme function; furthermore, improving the enzyme properties through protein engineering and directed evolution approaches is significant. In this review, the significance of several enzymes showing stereoselectivity (quinuclidinone reductase, aminoalcohol dehydrogenase, old yellow enzyme, and threonine aldolase) in chiral compound production is described, and the improvement of these enzymes using protein engineering and directed evolution approaches for further usability is discussed. Currently, enzymes are widely used as catalysts for the production of chiral compounds; however, for further use of enzymes in chiral compound production, improvement of enzymes should be more essential, as well as discovery of novel enzymes and enzyme functions.
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