Presidential Young Investigators Award

在有机溶剂中使用酶是一种相对较新的方法。 该技术大大扩展了传统的水- 基于生物催化。 然而，众多的应用 在有机合成和基于酶的 分析仅提供了阐明 控制酶的原理和参数 有机介质中的催化作用 2长期研究 在保华计划推行期间， 授予并包括l）理解和控制 在非水溶液中指示酶催化的参数 2）制定方法， 酶在有机合成中作为催化剂的作用。 第一 目标是研究溶剂对酶的作用 结构和功能。 EPR自旋标记将是 用于探测酶活性位点和表面 在非水介质中催化过程中的微环境。 第二个目标对地区和国家具有深远影响 立体选择性生物转化 具体反应 研究包括含糖的合成 聚酯用于 生物降解聚合物、过氧化物酶产生的酚醛树脂 作为不含甲醛的塑料替代品， 寡糖的合成。 酶是自然界的催化剂， 在温和条件下催化的特异性和快速速率 条件 传统上，酶被认为是 水基催化剂。 因为酶在水中起作用 （水）环境中的活组织，几乎所有 酶在生物催化中的应用包括 水溶液。 不幸的是，对于大多数反应， 商业利益（例如，药物制造， 合成中间体、塑料生产等），水 不是合适的反应介质。 合成化学家们 很久以前就意识到了这一点，大多数有机反应都是 常规在有机（非水）溶剂中进行。 最近，一些研究小组表明， 酶可以在有机溶剂中起作用。 研究 在本保华计划实施过程中， 裁决涉及基本和应用方面， 在有机介质中的酶催化。 从基本 从这个角度来看，控制酶功能的因素 将研究溶剂。

The use of enzymes in organic solvents is a relatively new technology that significantly extends conventional aqueous- based biocatalysis. However, the multitude of applications in areas such as organic synthesis and enzyme-based analyses have provided only the framework for elucidating the principles and parameters that govern enzymatic catalysis in organic media. Two long-term research directions will be pursued during the course of the PYI award and include l) the understanding and control of the parameters that dictate enzymatic catalysis in non-aqueous media; and 2) the development of methodologies for the use of enzymes as catalysts in organic synthesis. The first goal involves studying the role of the solvent on enzyme structure and function. EPR spin labeling will be performed to probe enzymic active site and surface microenvironments during catalysis in non-aqueous media. The second goal has far reaching implications for regio-and stereoselective biotransformations. Specific reactions to be studied include the synthesis of sugar-containing polyesters for biodegradable polymers, peroxidase-produced phenolic resins as formaldehyde-free plastics replacements, and selective synthesis of oligosaccharides. Enzymes are nature's catalysts that exhibit keen reaction specificities and fast rates of catalysis under mild conditions. Traditionally, enzymes have been thought of as water-based catalysts. Because enzymes function in a water (aqueous) environment within living tissues, nearly all applications of enzymes in biocatalysis has involved aqueous solutions. Unfortunately, for most reactions of commercial interest (e.g., pharmaceutical manufacture, synthetic intermediates, plastics production, etc.), water is not a suitable reaction medium. Synthetic chemists had realized this long ago, and most organic reactions are routinely performed in organic (non-aqueous) solvents. Recently, a number of research groups have shown that enzymes can function in organic solvents. The research directions being targeted during the course of this PYI award involve both fundamental and applied aspects of enzymatic catalysis in organic media. From a fundamental standpoint, the factors that control enzyme function in solvents will be studied.