title: Expanding the alkane oxygenase toolbox: new enzymes and applications.
abstract: As highly reduced hydrocarbons are abundant in the environment, enzymes that catalyze the terminal or subterminal oxygenation of alkanes are relatively easy to find. A number of these enzymes have been biochemically characterized in detail, because the potential of alkane hydroxylases to catalyze high added-value reactions is widely recognized. Nevertheless, the industrial application of these enzymes is restricted owing to the complex biochemistry, challenging process requirements, and the limited number of cloned and expressed enzymes. Rational and evolutionary engineering approaches have started to yield more robust and versatile enzyme systems, broadening the alkane oxygenase portfolio. In addition, metagenomic approaches provide access to many novel alkane oxygenase sequences.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Institute of Biotechnology, Wolfgang-Pauli Strasse 16, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland. vanbeilen@biotech.biol.ethrz.ch
authors.forename: Jan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: van Beilen
authors.forename: Enrico G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Funhoff
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002384:Catalysis; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000737:chemistry; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D010544:Peroxidases; D010105:Oxygenases; C021555:methane monooxygenase; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A