Rapid Biocatalytic Synthesis of Aromatic Acid CoA Thioesters by Using Microbial Aromatic Acid CoA Ligases |
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Authors: | Debayan Chaudhury Ella R Torkelson Kaya A Meyers Dr Justin F Acheson Leta Landucci Yucen Pu Zimou Sun Dr Marco Tonelli Dr Craig A Bingman Dr Rebecca A Smith Dr Steven D Karlen Dr Shawn D Mansfield Dr John Ralph Dr Brian G Fox |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI, 53706 USA;2. Department of Botany and Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Canada |
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Abstract: | Chemically labile ester linkages can be introduced into lignin by incorporation of monolignol conjugates, which are synthesized in planta by acyltransferases that use a coenzyme A (CoA) thioester donor and a nucleophilic monolignol alcohol acceptor. The presence of these esters facilitates processing and aids in the valorization of renewable biomass feedstocks. However, the effectiveness of this strategy is potentially limited by the low steady-state levels of aromatic acid thioester donors in plants. As part of an effort to overcome this, aromatic acid CoA ligases involved in microbial aromatic degradation were identified and screened against a broad panel of substituted cinnamic and benzoic acids involved in plant lignification. Functional fingerprinting of this ligase library identified four robust, highly active enzymes capable of facile, rapid, and high-yield synthesis of aromatic acid CoA thioesters under mild aqueous reaction conditions mimicking in planta activity. |
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Keywords: | biocatalysis cofactors ligases lignin thioesters |
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