Putting enzymes to work: biocatalytic synthesis of complex molecules

Natural sources, such as plants, fungi and microbes, have historically provided compounds with potent pharmaceutical properties. Although it can be challenging to build complex natural products in a lab using existing methods, Nature has perfected these biosynthetic pathways, evolving enzymes with reactivity and selectivity often unparalleled. The work described leverages the power of Nature’s tools for building complex molecules to synthesize novel molecules with therapeutic potential. Enzymes with potential synthetic utility are used as a starting point for engineering biocatalysts with (1) broad substrate scope, (2) high catalytic efficiency, and (3) exquisite site- and stereoselectivity. These biocatalytic methods are employed to efficiently synthesize biologically active complex molecules.