High-Throughput Solid-Phase Assay for Substrate Profiling and Directed Evolution of Transketolase

Thiamine diphosphate-dependent enzymes, and specifically transketolases, form one of the most important families of biocatalytic tools for enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formation yielding various hydroxyketones of biological interest. To enable substrate profiling of transketolases for acceptance of different donors and acceptors, a simple, direct colorimetric assay based on pH reaction variation was developed to establish a high-throughput solid-phase assay. This assay reduces the screening effort in the directed evolution of transketolases, as only active variants are selected for further analysis. Transketolase activity is detected as bicarbonate anions released from the α-ketoacid donor substrate, which causes the pH to rise. A pH indicator, bromothymol blue, which changes color from yellow to blue in alkaline conditions, was used to directly detect, with the naked eye, clones expressing active transketolase variants, obviating enzyme extraction.