CasCAR

Carboxylic acid reductases (CARs) are attractive catalysts for the green synthesis of valuable aldehyde buildingblocks. However, the application of CARs still remains a challenge because CARs depend on essential NAD(P)H and ATP cofactors that need to be regenerated. The CAR enzyme from Nocardia otitidiscavium (NoCAR) has been characterized as one of the most potent enzymes to efficiently convert benzoic acid into benzaldehyde, an important building block in pharmaceutical ingredients. Co-expression or addition of auxiliary enzymes and their integration in a multi-enzyme cascade for cofactor regeneration has been recently validated in E. coli but the long-term use of CARs in whole-cell biotransformations is impaired by the inherent toxicity of accumulating aldehydes. In contrast, the use of purified enzymes in vitro shows reduced catalytic performance compared to in vivo conditions. To overcome this limitation, the CasCAR project aims at designing locally immobilized multi-enzyme constructs with superior catalytic activity and stability in vitro compared to unfused enzymes.

Contact: Prof. Holger Gohlke / Dr. Benoît David

Funded by the BioSC SEED FUND 3.0