Toward scalable biocatalytic conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by galactose oxidase using coordinated reaction and enzyme engineering

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) can be transformed to a range of industrially useful derivatives, such as 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF), but the reactions needed for efficient industrial production are hindered by several issues. Here, the authors perform reaction and enzyme engineering resulting in a galactose oxidase variant with high activity towards HMF, improved oxygen binding and high productivity

Toward scalable biocatalytic conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by galactose oxidase using coordinated reaction and enzyme engineering

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2020-12-09, accepted 2021-07-06, registration 2021-07-21, pub-electronic 2021-08-16, online 2021-08-16, collection 2021-12Publication status: PublishedFunder: EC | EC Seventh Framework Programm | FP7 Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology (FP7-KBBE - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/100011262; Grant(s): 613849Abstract: 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has emerged as a crucial bio-based chemical building block in the drive towards developing materials from renewable resources, due to its direct preparation from sugars and its readily diversifiable scaffold. A key obstacle in transitioning to bio-based plastic production lies in meeting the necessary industrial production efficiency, particularly in the cost-effective conversion of HMF to valuable intermediates. Toward addressing the challenge of developing scalable technology for oxidizing crude HMF to more valuable chemicals, here we report coordinated reaction and enzyme engineering to provide a galactose oxidase (GOase) variant with remarkably high activity toward HMF, improved O2 binding and excellent productivity (>1,000,000 TTN). The biocatalyst and reaction conditions presented here for GOase catalysed selective oxidation of HMF to 2,5-diformylfuran offers a productive blueprint for further development, giving hope for the creation of a biocatalytic route to scalable production of furan-based chemical building blocks from sustainable feedstocks

Biocatalytic Conversion of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural by Galactose Oxidase: Toward Scalable Technology Using Integrated Process and Enzyme Engineering

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has emerged as a crucial bio-based chemical building block in the drive towards developing materials from renewable resources, due to its direct preparation from sugars and its readily diversifiable scaffold. A key obstacle in transitioning to bio-based plastic production lies in meeting the necessary industrial production efficiency, particularly in the cost-effective conversion of HMF to valuable intermediates. To address the challenge of developing scalable technology for oxidizing crude HMF to more valuable chemicals, we have integrated process and enzyme engineering to provide a galactose oxidase (GOase) variant with remarkably high activity toward HMF, improved O2 binding and excellent productivity (>1,000,000 TTN). The process concept presented here for GOase catalysed selective oxidation of HMF to 2,5-diformylfuran offers a productive and efficient platform for further development, thereby laying the groundwork for a biocatalytic route to scalable production of furan-based chemical building blocks from sustainable feedstocks.<br /