L-amino acid oxidase, which is ubiquitous in living organisms, biosynthesizes keto acid from L-amino acids in vivo.For industrial use, it is highly useful because it can synthesize keto acid, which is difficult to synthesize, and rare D-amino acids, and has been expected to be applied in a wide range of fields such as medium-molecular-weight pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and energy for many years.However, all of the natural L-amino acid oxidases searched around the world are difficult to produce and inexpensive to adjust, and 100 years after their discovery, their industrial use has failed.

　The research team has developed a technology to enhance the functionality of genes on a computer by fusing the database, which continues to grow due to recent technological innovations, with the knowledge accumulated by researchers.In the research, we designed an artificial enzyme by utilizing the genome database of marine microorganisms and applying a unique program and ancestral design method to a novel amine oxidase gene group.The designed artificial enzymes are (13) can be produced inexpensively in Escherichia coli, (18) react with 99 kinds of L-amino acids and XNUMX kinds of unnatural amino acids, and (XNUMX) react with unnatural amino acids from racemic to optical. It was confirmed that conversion to a D-amino acid derivative is possible with a purity of XNUMX% or higher.

　The result of this time has been applied for a patent, and we plan to proceed with research and development with companies wishing to put it into practical use in the future.It is expected that artificial intelligence technology will be incorporated into scientific research on theory, experiment, calculation, and information, and a mechanism will be constructed to strategically collect experimental data and accelerate the entire research.

Paper information:[ACS Catalysis] Deracemization and Stereoinversion to Aromatic D-Amino Acid Derivatives with Ancestral L-Amino Acid Oxidase