Activity-based probes for dynamic characterisation of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Enzymology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Carbohydrate-active enzymes are crucial for polysaccharide breakdown, but their characterization is complex.
• Genomic and structural data expansion outpaces biochemical understanding.
• Standard annotations often miss key functional properties like stability and specificity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the development and applications of activity-based probes (ABPs) for retaining glycosidases.
• To explore recent advances in ABP scaffold design and their utility.
• To identify limitations and future directions for ABP technology.

Main Methods:

• Focus on activity-based probes (ABPs) for detecting active enzymes.
• Review of scaffold designs including fluorosugars, epoxides, aziridines, and cyclic sulfates.
• Examination of ABP applications in enzyme profiling, inhibitor discovery, and biotechnology.

Main Results:

• ABPs have evolved from medical diagnostics to biomass degradation applications.
• Advanced scaffolds enhance enzyme profiling and inhibitor discovery.
• Current ABPs cannot target inverting enzymes or those lacking nucleophilic residues.

Conclusions:

• ABPs are powerful tools for studying active carbohydrate-active enzymes.
• Future advancements may involve computational modeling and AI for broader enzyme targeting.
• Integration with enzyme engineering promises novel biocatalysts for industry and medicine.