Work

Biocatalytic synthesis of phenyl benzoate esters using the amide ligase ClxA

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: , initially reported to have roles in amide bond formation in the biosynthesis of benzoxazole antibiotics, is an effective catalyst for the formation of phenyl benzoate esters from acid and phenol substrates using ATP in an aqueous medium. The structure of ClxA in a complex with both AMP and 3,4-aminohydroxybenzoic acid was determined by X-ray crystallography to 2.15 Å resolution and used as a platform to engineer the enzyme to create variants N226L and K140A possessing broader substrate specificity for ester formation, and also the ability to enable the synthesis of native amide product oligomers.

Source: RSC Chemical Biology

Authors: Alexander Ascham, Qingyun Tang, Ian J. S. Fairlamb, Gideon Grogan

Institution: University of York

Language: English

Topic: Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,962

Funders: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Awards: Engineering Enzymes for Pharmaceutical Amide Synthesis, Catalytic Synthesis of Pharmaceutical Amides in Water