Cells and tissues as asymmetric catalysts: a strategy for the development of green chemistry

KURINA SANZ MB

Tafi del valle

Conferencia; XXVII Jornadas Científicas Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2010

Sociedad tucumana de Biologia

Cells and tissues as asymmetric catalysts: a strategy for the development of green chemistry Marcela Kurina-Sanz INTEQUI-CONICET. Área de Química Orgánica. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Chacabuco y Pedernera 5700 San Luis. Argentina. marcelakurina@gmail.com Bacteria, fungi and plants are sources of potentially useful enzymes to catalyze specific chemical reactions in biocatalytic processes. Bio-reactions are mostly stereo-, chemo- and/or regioselective, being these characteristics very attractive in the field of organic synthesis. No less is the fact that this kind of processes has low environmental impact and that they are developed in mild conditions of temperature, pH and pressure. The diversity of microbial metabolic pathways has been successfully exploited in organic chemistry. Notable progresses have been achieved using the concept of catalytic promiscuity. Less attention has been paid on plant secondary metabolite pathways, which offer the possibility to perform original reactions hardly found in other organisms. In this regard, organs and tissues from wild or cultivated plants, as well as undifferentiated cell cultures and hairy roots have been used as biocatalysts. Despite the methodological advantages that the use of isolated enzymes and cofactor recycling systems has demonstrated, these tools are of little potential for its application in developing countries. On the opposite, enzymes used in their natural environment as whole cell catalysts offer the benefit of preserving stability and the possibility to realize the auto-regeneration of the expensive cofactors involved in the majority of the bio-reactions of interest. This speech deals on the discussion of several works oriented to the expansion of the available "enzyme tool kit" exploitable to access to high value compounds. These methodologies, that make a rational use of renewable resources, are aimed to cooperate in the development of green chemistry strategies for new sustainable and environmentally friendly industries. Acknowledgments: CONICET - Project Nº 7301 (UNSL), PIP 00628 (CONICET) and PICT 00352 (ANPCyT).