Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases in Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology.

Cytochromes P450 (P450 or CYP) are heme-containing enzymes that catalyze the introduction of one atom of molecular oxygen into nonactivated C–H bonds, often in a regio- and stereoselective manner. This ability, combined with a tremendous number of accepted substrates, makes P450s powerful biocatalysts. Sixty years after their discovery, P450 systems are recognized as essential bio-bricks in synthetic biology approaches to enable production of high-value complex molecules in recombinant hosts. Recent impressive results in protein engineering led to P450s with tailored properties that are even able to catalyze abiotic reactions. The introduction of P450s in artificial multi-enzymatic cascades reactions and chemo-enzymatic processes offers exciting future perspectives to access novel compounds that cannot be synthesized by nature or by chemical routes. Cytochromes P450 are ubiquitous enzymes accepting a tremendous number of substrates and catalyzing a broad range of reactions with potential applications in biotechnology and synthetic biology. P450s were engineered to catalyze abiotic reactions such as carbene or nitrene transfers, opening up completely new perspectives in synthetic chemistry. Lately, P450s have successfully been introduced into artificial multi-enzyme cascades, both in vitro and in vivo , providing alternative routes for retro-synthetic production of high-value oxyfunctionalized compounds. Harnessing the synthetic potential of P450s in chemo-enzymatic processes or as part of reconstituted biosynthetic pathways in microbial hosts provides promising strategies for de novo synthesis of synthons and complex natural products, even though there are still some obstacles to overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]