Cutinase activity and enantioselectivity in supercritical fluids

Nuno Fontes, M. Conceição Almeida, Sílvia Garcia, Célia Peres, João Grave, M. Raquel Aires-Barros, Cláudio M. Soares, Joaquim M.S. Cabral, Christopher D. Maycock, Susana Barreiros

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We studied the performance of Fusarium solani pisi cutinase, immobilized on a zeolite, in supercritical carbon dioxide and ethylene. Water activity had a strong effect on the catalytic activity of the enzyme, unlike pressure to 300 bar. The enzyme was very selective towards one of the isomers of 1-phenylethanol, with an enantiomeric excess of virtually 100 % which did not depend on water activity, pressure or solvent. Computer modeling of the structures of transition states for the two enantiomers led to structural differences which explained the preference of the enzyme for the (R)-isomer.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)483-486
Number of pages4
JournalProgress in Biotechnology
Volume15
Issue numberC
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 1998

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