Alternative coenzymes for bio-catalysts

What is it about?

Coenzymes are ubiquitous in Nature, assisting in enzyme-catalysed reactions. Several coenzymes, nicotinamides and flavins, have been known for close to a century, whereas variations of those organic molecules have more recently come to light. In general, the requirement of these coenzymes imposes certain constraints for in vitro enzyme use in biocatalytic processes. Alternative coenzymes have risen to circumvent the cost factor, tune reaction rates or obtain different chemical reactivity. This review will focus on these alternatives and their role and applications in biocatalysis.

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Why is it important?

The use of alternative synthetic coenzymes for biocatalysis is promising: cost aside, the ability to change reaction rates or the type of reaction enables to catalyse highly selective reactions previously thought overly challenging.

Perspectives