Gene_locus Report for: vigra-Vreh3

Enantioconvergent hydrolysis by epoxide hydrolase is a promising method for the synthesis of important vicinal diols. However, the poor regioselectivity of the naturally occurring enzymes results in low enantioconvergence in the enzymatic hydrolysis of styrene oxides. Herein, modulated residue No. 263 was redesigned based on structural information and a smart variant library was constructed by site-directed modification using an "optimized amino acid alphabet' to improve the regioselectivity of epoxide hydrolase from Vigna radiata (VrEH2). The regioselectivity coefficient (r) of variant M263Q for the R-isomer of meta-substituted styrene oxides was improved 40-63-fold, and variant M263V also exhibited higher regioselectivity towards the R-isomer of para-substituted styrene oxides compared with the wild type, which resulted in improved enantioconvergence in hydrolysis of styrene oxide scaffolds. Structural insight showed the crucial role of residue No. 263 in modulating the substrate binding conformation by altering the binding surroundings. Furthermore, increased differences in the attacking distance between nucleophilic residue Asp101 and the two carbon atoms of the epoxide ring provided evidence for improved regioselectivity. Several high-value vicinal diols were readily synthesized (>88% yield, 90%-98% ee) by enantioconvergent hydrolysis using the reprogrammed variants. These findings provide a successful strategy for enhancing the enantioconvergence of native epoxide hydrolases through key single-site mutation and more powerful enzyme tools for the enantioconvergent hydrolysis of styrene oxide scaffolds into single (R)-enantiomers of chiral vicinal diols.

An epoxide hydrolase from Vigna radiata (VrEH2) affords partial enantioconvergence (84% ee) in the enzymatic hydrolysis of racemic p-nitrostyrene oxide (pNSO), mainly due to insufficient regioselectivity for the (S)-enantiomer (rS = alphaS/betaS = 7.3). To improve the (S)-pNSO regioselectivity, a small but smart library of VrEH2 mutants was constructed by substituting each of four key residues lining the substrate binding site with a simplified amino acid alphabet of Val, Asn, Phe, and Trp. Among the mutants, M263N attacked almost exclusively at Calpha in the (S)-epoxide ring with satisfactory regioselectivity (rS = 99.0), without compromising the original high regioselectivity for the (R)-epoxide (rR = 99.0), resulting in near-perfect enantioconvergence (>99% analytical yield, 98% ee). Structural and conformational analysis showed that the introduced Asn263 formed additional hydrogen bonds with the nitro group in substrate, causing a shift in the substrate binding pose. This shift increased the difference in attacking distances between Calpha and Cbeta, leading to an improved regiopreference toward (S)-pNSO and affording near-perfect enantioconvergence.

To provide more options for the stereoselective hydrolysis of epoxides, an epoxide hydrolase (VrEH3) gene from Vigna radiata was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant VrEH3 displayed the maximum activity at pH 7.0 and 45 degrees C and high stability at pH 4.5-7.5 and 55 degrees C. Notably, reVrEH3 exhibited high and complementary regioselectivity toward styrene oxides 1a-3a and high enantioselectivity (E = 48.7) toward o-cresyl glycidyl ether 9a. To elucidate these interesting phenomena, the interactions of the three-dimensional structure between VrEH3 and enantiomers of 1a and 9a were analyzed by molecular docking simulation. Using E. coli/vreh3 whole cells, gram-scale preparations of (R)-1b and (R)-9a were performed by enantioconvergent hydrolysis of 100 mM rac-1a and kinetic resolution of 200 mM rac-9a in the buffer-free water system at 25 degrees C. These afforded (R)-1b with >99% eep and 78.7% overall yield after recrystallization and (R)-9a with >99% ees, 38.7% overall yield, and 12.7 g/L/h space-time yield.

Enantioconvergent hydrolysis by epoxide hydrolase is a promising method for the synthesis of important vicinal diols. However, the poor regioselectivity of the naturally occurring enzymes results in low enantioconvergence in the enzymatic hydrolysis of styrene oxides. Herein, modulated residue No. 263 was redesigned based on structural information and a smart variant library was constructed by site-directed modification using an "optimized amino acid alphabet' to improve the regioselectivity of epoxide hydrolase from Vigna radiata (VrEH2). The regioselectivity coefficient (r) of variant M263Q for the R-isomer of meta-substituted styrene oxides was improved 40-63-fold, and variant M263V also exhibited higher regioselectivity towards the R-isomer of para-substituted styrene oxides compared with the wild type, which resulted in improved enantioconvergence in hydrolysis of styrene oxide scaffolds. Structural insight showed the crucial role of residue No. 263 in modulating the substrate binding conformation by altering the binding surroundings. Furthermore, increased differences in the attacking distance between nucleophilic residue Asp101 and the two carbon atoms of the epoxide ring provided evidence for improved regioselectivity. Several high-value vicinal diols were readily synthesized (>88% yield, 90%-98% ee) by enantioconvergent hydrolysis using the reprogrammed variants. These findings provide a successful strategy for enhancing the enantioconvergence of native epoxide hydrolases through key single-site mutation and more powerful enzyme tools for the enantioconvergent hydrolysis of styrene oxide scaffolds into single (R)-enantiomers of chiral vicinal diols.

An epoxide hydrolase from Vigna radiata (VrEH2) affords partial enantioconvergence (84% ee) in the enzymatic hydrolysis of racemic p-nitrostyrene oxide (pNSO), mainly due to insufficient regioselectivity for the (S)-enantiomer (rS = alphaS/betaS = 7.3). To improve the (S)-pNSO regioselectivity, a small but smart library of VrEH2 mutants was constructed by substituting each of four key residues lining the substrate binding site with a simplified amino acid alphabet of Val, Asn, Phe, and Trp. Among the mutants, M263N attacked almost exclusively at Calpha in the (S)-epoxide ring with satisfactory regioselectivity (rS = 99.0), without compromising the original high regioselectivity for the (R)-epoxide (rR = 99.0), resulting in near-perfect enantioconvergence (>99% analytical yield, 98% ee). Structural and conformational analysis showed that the introduced Asn263 formed additional hydrogen bonds with the nitro group in substrate, causing a shift in the substrate binding pose. This shift increased the difference in attacking distances between Calpha and Cbeta, leading to an improved regiopreference toward (S)-pNSO and affording near-perfect enantioconvergence.

To provide more options for the stereoselective hydrolysis of epoxides, an epoxide hydrolase (VrEH3) gene from Vigna radiata was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant VrEH3 displayed the maximum activity at pH 7.0 and 45 degrees C and high stability at pH 4.5-7.5 and 55 degrees C. Notably, reVrEH3 exhibited high and complementary regioselectivity toward styrene oxides 1a-3a and high enantioselectivity (E = 48.7) toward o-cresyl glycidyl ether 9a. To elucidate these interesting phenomena, the interactions of the three-dimensional structure between VrEH3 and enantiomers of 1a and 9a were analyzed by molecular docking simulation. Using E. coli/vreh3 whole cells, gram-scale preparations of (R)-1b and (R)-9a were performed by enantioconvergent hydrolysis of 100 mM rac-1a and kinetic resolution of 200 mM rac-9a in the buffer-free water system at 25 degrees C. These afforded (R)-1b with >99% eep and 78.7% overall yield after recrystallization and (R)-9a with >99% ees, 38.7% overall yield, and 12.7 g/L/h space-time yield.

OBJECTIVES: To prepare (R)-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol ((R)-PED) with high enantiomeric excess (ee p) and yield from racemic styrene oxide (rac-SO) at high concentration by bi-enzymatic catalysis.
RESULTS: The bi-enzymatic catalysis was designed for enantioconvergent hydrolysis of rac-SO by a pair of novel epoxide hydrolases (EHs), a Vigna radiata EH3 (VrEH3) and a variant (AuEH2A250I) of Aspergillus usamii EH2. The simultaneous addition mode of VrEH3 and AuEH2A250I, exhibiting the highest average turnover frequency (aTOF) of 0.12 g h-1 g-1, was selected, by which rac-SO (10 mM) was converted into (R)-PED with 92.6% ee p and 96.3% yield. Under the optimized reaction conditions: dry weight ratio 14:1 of VrEH3-expressing E. coli/vreh3 to AuEH2A250I-expressing E. coli/Aueh2 A250I and reaction at 20 degrees C, rac-SO (10 mM) was completely hydrolyzed in 2.3 h, affording (R)-PED with 98% ee p. At the weight ratio 0.8:1 of rac-SO to two mixed dry cells, (R)-PED with 97.4% ee p and 98.7% yield was produced from 200 mM (24 mg/ml) rac-SO in 10.5 h.
CONCLUSIONS: Enantioconvergent hydrolysis of rac-SO at high concentration catalyzed by both VrEH3 and AuEH2A250I is an effective method for preparing (R)-PED with high ee p and yield.