BioCat Collective
Educating and Building a Broader Biocatalysis Community
Category: Biocatalysis
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ArXiv [Preprint]. 2026 Jul 1:arXiv:2607.01362v1. ABSTRACT Quantum mechanical (QM) cluster models provide an effective framework for mechanistic studies of enzymatic reactions but remain computationally demanding. Neural network potentials (NNPs) offer a promising route to reduce this cost, but enzymes present challenges beyond small molecules, including large system sizes, implicit-solvent environments, substantial polarization, and charge transfer.…
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J Am Chem Soc. 2026 Jul 8. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6c07143. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Fatty acid photodecarboxylase (FAP) is a photoenzyme that converts fatty acids into hydrocarbons through light-driven radical chemistry. Although the early photochemical steps have been elucidated, the molecular mechanism governing the catalytic termination remains unresolved. Here, we address this issue through a…
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Commun Chem. 2026 Jul 9;9(1):240. doi: 10.1038/s42004-026-02128-x. ABSTRACT α-Tertiary amino acids (ATAAs), featuring a fully substituted α-carbon bearing two carbon substituents, are valuable building blocks in natural products, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals, yet their stereoselective synthesis remains a longstanding challenge in conventional chemical synthesis. Recent advances in enzymatic catalysis have provided efficient and sustainable solutions for…
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Biotechnol Biofuels Bioprod. 2026 Jul 8. doi: 10.1186/s13068-026-02793-z. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The discovery of novel biocatalysts for the sustainable valorization of complex biomass feedstocks remains a significant challenge. Domain-centric exploration of characterized CAZyme families offers a promising but underexplored strategy for identifying enzymes with unusual architectures and potentially expanded substrate specificities. RESULTS:…
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Mol Plant. 2026 Jul 8:S1674-2052(26)00223-6. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2026.07.004. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Diterpenoid alkaloids (DAs) are pharmaceutically important metabolites and mainly occur in the Ranunculaceae. Despite their structural complexity, all DAs originate from C20 diterpenoid scaffolds, making the elucidation of C20-DA biosynthesis pivotal for understanding and engineering this entire alkaloid class. However, the molecular basis…
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J Colloid Interface Sci. 2026 Jul 5;724(Pt 1):141071. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2026.141071. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Gas sensing plays a critical role across diverse fields, including medical diagnostics, industrial safety, and environmental monitoring. However, conventional gas sensors often suffer from poor selectivity and limited sensitivity, especially at low concentrations. Herein, we present a light-regulated gas-sensing system…
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Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2026 Jul 8;93:102722. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2026.102722. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Cytochrome P450 enzymes are versatile oxidative enzymes that perform a wide range of oxidation reactions. Here, we summarise recent results showing the widespread role of P450s in the cyclisation of peptides. These enzymes have great potential to act as engineered biocatalysts…
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J Am Chem Soc. 2026 Jul 8. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6c07143. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Fatty acid photodecarboxylase (FAP) is a photoenzyme that converts fatty acids into hydrocarbons through light-driven radical chemistry. Although the early photochemical steps have been elucidated, the molecular mechanism governing the catalytic termination remains unresolved. Here, we address this issue through a…
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Enzyme Microb Technol. 2026 Jul 7;200:110932. doi: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2026.110932. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT The application of steam-exploded green coconut fiber (GCF) (an agro-industrial waste) was studied as a support for the immobilization of lipases, using lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB), lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens (PFL) or the engineered lipase Eversa (EL) as model enzymes.…
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Nature. 2026 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41586-026-10744-9. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Methanogens are central to global carbon cycling and among the largest biological sources of methane, a potent greenhouse gas1. At the heart of their energy metabolism lies the Hdr-Vhu-Fwd super-assembly, which couples H2 oxidation with CO2 reduction through flavin-based electron bifurcation. Here we present…