BIOOX

Developing a validated technology platform for the application of oxygen dependent enzymes in synthesis and transformation of alcohols

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Currently the aerobic bio-catalytic oxidation reaction is the one that would have the biggest impact on the future uptake of industrial biotechnology in Europe. Chemical oxidation is both hazardous and has high environment impacts. Many oxidative bio-catalytic reactions and transformations have been identified in academic laboratories but only a very small number have been applied by industry to oxidize non-natural substrates. Hence biocatalysis for oxidative chemical manufacture processes can deliver a major advantage to the European chemical-using industries and the environment. In this project we intend to develop the tools for implementation of bio-oxidation to synthesize and oxidize alcohols. Cytochrome P450 enzymes will be investigated for hydroxylation of fatty acid derivatives and terpenes which have potential to be used in biopolymers and fragrance chemicals respectively form one line of investigation. The second is the selective oxidation of primary alcohols to give products with added value in their own right and as intermediates towards other valuable products. To support the implementation culture collections and literature reported DNA sequences will be used to identify diverse enzymes with predicted oxidase activities, which will be used as starting point for an enzyme improvement program. Then fermentation and enzyme formulation techniques will improve reaction performance to a level where useful quantities of target products can be produced for evaluation by industrial partners, and engineering techniques will analyse and implement reactor configurations that will further improve this technology platform to enable this technology to be introduced as a routine technology in the IB industry and support the European KBBE. Further a dynamic public engagement and dissemination program will be used to promote the project, IB and the FP7 program within the science community and the public, especially schoolchildren, to create extra value for the funders.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Researchers are harnessing natural chemical reactions that take place in the cells of almost every living organism to replace hazardous chemical synthesis of products.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Oxidation is a chemical reaction used in industry to produce chemicals and consumer products and to treat waste streams. Since chemical oxidation is hazardous and environmentally unfriendly, scientists are looking to nature to perform oxidation reactions naturally and safely.

The EU-funded http://www.bioox.eu/ (BIOOX) (Developing a validated technology platform for the application of oxygen dependent enzymes in synthesis and transformation of alcohols) project aims to develop a suite of biological enzymes (known as biocatalysts) that perform oxidation reactions for industrial-scale production of chemicals.

After selecting diverse enzymes with predicted oxidase properties, BIOOX developed microbial strains and methods for producing these enzymes in bioreactors. Researchers then formulated techniques to improve the best enzymes' activities, and to increase their yield from engineered bacterial and fungal strains.

BIOOX is now looking at alternative ways to use their improved enzymes for synthesising industrial-scale chemical compounds economically. As an alternative to purifying enzymes from microbes, for example, they developed an Escherichia coli strain that performs the oxidation reaction inside the bacterial cell.

They also designed a way to immobilise purified enzymes in flow reactors that, unlike batch reactors, allow reactions to occur continuously rather than in batches. In this case, substrates that flow into the vessel become oxidised by the immobilised enzymes, and the resulting product is removed in a continuous cycle.

BIOOX will now scale-up newly developed reactors for evaluation by industry partners. The technologies developed by the project can be used for environmentally friendly, economical and safe production of chemicals, biopolymers, consumer products and fragrances.