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Uncommon overoxidative catalytic activity in a new halo‐tolerant alcohol dehydrogenase (2020)
Journal Article
Contente, M., Fiore, N., Cannazza, P., Roura Padrosa, D., Molinari, F., Gourlay, L., & Paradisi, F. (2020). Uncommon overoxidative catalytic activity in a new halo‐tolerant alcohol dehydrogenase. ChemCatChem, 12(22), 5679-5685. https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202001112

Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH) are versatile and useful enzymes employed as biocatalysts, especially for the selective oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols, and for the reduction of carbonyl moieties. A new alcohol dehydrogenase (HeADH‐II) has b... Read More about Uncommon overoxidative catalytic activity in a new halo‐tolerant alcohol dehydrogenase.

Advances on whole-cell biocatalysis in flow (2020)
Journal Article
Pinto, A., Contente, M. L., & Tamborini, L. (2020). Advances on whole-cell biocatalysis in flow. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 25, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2020.04.004

The combination of enabling technologies, such as biocatalysis and flow chemistry, represents an important opportunity to expand the chemical toolbox for the preparation of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals under ambient and environmentally benign c... Read More about Advances on whole-cell biocatalysis in flow.

Stereoselective Reduction of Prochiral Cyclic 1,3-Diketones Using Different Biocatalysts (2019)
Journal Article
Contente, M. L., Dall’Oglio, F., Annunziata, F., Molinari, F., Rabuffetti, M., Romano, D., …Pinto, A. (2020). Stereoselective Reduction of Prochiral Cyclic 1,3-Diketones Using Different Biocatalysts. Catalysis Letters, 150(4), 1176-1185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10562-019-03015-y

We have developed biocatalytic methods for the stereoselective reduction of cyclic prochiral 1,3-diketones for the production of optically active β-hydroxyketones and/or 1,3-diols. The recombinant ketoreductase KRED1-Pglu (formulated as purified cata... Read More about Stereoselective Reduction of Prochiral Cyclic 1,3-Diketones Using Different Biocatalysts.

Continuous preparation of flavour‐active acetate esters by direct biocatalytic esterification (2019)
Journal Article
Perdomo, I. C., Contente, M. L., Pinto, A., Romano, D., Fernandes, P., & Molinari, F. (2020). Continuous preparation of flavour‐active acetate esters by direct biocatalytic esterification. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 35(2), 190-196. https://doi.org/10.1002/ffj.3552

Mycelium-bound lipase(s) from Aspergillus oryzae catalysed direct esterification of isoamyl alcohol and cinnamyl alcohol with acetic acid in organic solvent, showing high stability towards substrates and products. Water produced during the esterifica... Read More about Continuous preparation of flavour‐active acetate esters by direct biocatalytic esterification.

Let’s stick together for continuous flow biocatalysis (2019)
Journal Article
Contente, M. L., & Molinari, F. (2019). Let’s stick together for continuous flow biocatalysis. Nature Catalysis, 2(11), 951-952. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-019-0363-y

Fusion systems have been designed linking enzymes to cofactors and immobilization modules through appropriate synthetic spacers. These modular biocatalysts (assembling catalysis, cofactor provision/regeneration, and assisted immobilization) are suite... Read More about Let’s stick together for continuous flow biocatalysis.

Overcoming Water Insolubility in Flow: Enantioselective Hydrolysis of Naproxen Ester (2019)
Journal Article
Roura Padrosa, D., De Vitis, V., Contente, M., Molinari, F., & Paradisi, F. (2019). Overcoming Water Insolubility in Flow: Enantioselective Hydrolysis of Naproxen Ester. Catalysts, 9(3), Article 232. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9030232

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Hydrolytic enantioselective cleavage of different racemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ester derivatives has been studied. An engineered esterase form Bacillus subtilis (BS2m... Read More about Overcoming Water Insolubility in Flow: Enantioselective Hydrolysis of Naproxen Ester.

Strategic single point mutation yields a solvent- and salt-stable transaminase from Virgibacillus sp. in soluble form (2018)
Journal Article
Guidi, B., Planchestainer, M., Contente, M. L., Laurenzi, T., Eberini, I., Gourlay, L. J., …Molinari, F. (2018). Strategic single point mutation yields a solvent- and salt-stable transaminase from Virgibacillus sp. in soluble form. Scientific Reports, 8(1), Article 16441. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-34434-3

A new transaminase (VbTA) was identified from the genome of the halotolerant marine bacterium Virgibacillus 21D and its expression resulted in the production of an insoluble protein in E. coli. After a single mutation identified through sequence homo... Read More about Strategic single point mutation yields a solvent- and salt-stable transaminase from Virgibacillus sp. in soluble form.

Biocatalytic N-acylation of amines in water using an acyltransferase from Mycobacterium smegmatis (2018)
Journal Article
Contente, M., Pinto, A., Molinari, F., & Paradisi, F. (2018). Biocatalytic N-acylation of amines in water using an acyltransferase from Mycobacterium smegmatis. Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis, 360(24), 4814-4819. https://doi.org/10.1002/adsc.201801061

A straightforward one-step biocatalyzed synthesis of different N-acyl amides in water was accomplished using the versatile and chemoselective acyltransferase from Mycobacterium smegmatis (MsAcT). Acetylation of primary arylalkyl amines was achieved w... Read More about Biocatalytic N-acylation of amines in water using an acyltransferase from Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Self-sufficient flow-biocatalysis by coimmobilization of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and ω-transaminases onto porous carriers (2018)
Journal Article
Benítez-Mateos, A. I., Contente, M. L., Velasco-Lozano, S., Paradisi, F., & López-Gallego, F. (2018). Self-sufficient flow-biocatalysis by coimmobilization of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and ω-transaminases onto porous carriers. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 6(10), 13151-13159. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b02672

We expanded the application of self-sufficient heterogeneous biocatalysts containing coimmobilized w-transaminases and pyridoxal 5´-phosphate (PLP) to efficiently operate packed-bed reactors in continuous flow. Using a w-transaminase from Halomonas e... Read More about Self-sufficient flow-biocatalysis by coimmobilization of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and ω-transaminases onto porous carriers.

Self-sustaining closed-loop multienzyme mediated conversion of amines into alcohols in continuous reactions (2018)
Journal Article
Contente, M. L., & Paradisi, F. (2018). Self-sustaining closed-loop multienzyme mediated conversion of amines into alcohols in continuous reactions. Nature Catalysis, 1, 452–459. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-018-0082-9

The synthesis of alcohols from amines starting material is an excellent, yet challenging, strategy for the preparation of pharmaceuticals and polymers. Here, we developed a versatile, self-sustaining closed-loop multienzymatic platform for the biocat... Read More about Self-sustaining closed-loop multienzyme mediated conversion of amines into alcohols in continuous reactions.

Microreattori e biocatalisi: come minimizzare il divario tra ricerca accademica e industria (2018)
Journal Article
Contente, M., & Tamborini, L. (2018). Microreattori e biocatalisi: come minimizzare il divario tra ricerca accademica e industria. La Chimica e l'industria, 2(3), https://doi.org/10.17374/CI.2018.100.3.24

Negli ultimi due decenni, la tecnologia dei microreattori ha cambiato il paradigma nella sintesi organica sia su scala di laboratorio che di produzione e sta recentemente ricevendo sempre maggiore attenzione anche nel campo della biocatalisi. Grazie... Read More about Microreattori e biocatalisi: come minimizzare il divario tra ricerca accademica e industria.

Re-Make/Re-Model: recent breakthroughs on the road to practicable and diversified biocatalytical processes (2018)
Journal Article
Contente, M., & Molinari, F. (2018). Re-Make/Re-Model: recent breakthroughs on the road to practicable and diversified biocatalytical processes. Chimica Oggi-Chemistry Today, 36(3),

Biocatalysis has been traditionally used when high chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity under mild conditions (pH, pressure, temperature). Contrariwise, low productivity and low catalyst stability generally represent major constraints for obtaining i... Read More about Re-Make/Re-Model: recent breakthroughs on the road to practicable and diversified biocatalytical processes.

Keep the flow: in-line technologies for pure products (2018)
Journal Article
Contente, M. L. (2018). Keep the flow: in-line technologies for pure products. Chimica Oggi-Chemistry Today, 36(1), 35-47

Flow reactor technology represents one of the enabling technologies introduced in the last decade to advance the sustainability of organic synthesis and shows many advantages compared with batch methods, including increased safety, high control of re... Read More about Keep the flow: in-line technologies for pure products.

Genetically fused T4L acts as a shield in covalent enzyme immobilisation enhancing the rescued activity (2018)
Journal Article
Planchestainer, M., Padrosa, D. R., Contente, M. L., & Paradisi, F. (2018). Genetically fused T4L acts as a shield in covalent enzyme immobilisation enhancing the rescued activity. Catalysts, 8(1), https://doi.org/10.3390/catal8010040

Enzyme immobilisation is a common strategy to increase enzymes resistance and reusability in a variety of excellent ‘green’ applications. However, the interaction with the solid support often leads to diminished specific activity, especially when non... Read More about Genetically fused T4L acts as a shield in covalent enzyme immobilisation enhancing the rescued activity.

A stereospecific carboxyl esterase from Bacillus coagulans hosting nonlipase activity within a lipase-like fold (2018)
Journal Article
De Vitis, V., Nakhnoukh, C., Pinto, A., Contente, M. L., Barbiroli, A., Milani, M., …Romano, D. (in press). A stereospecific carboxyl esterase from Bacillus coagulans hosting nonlipase activity within a lipase-like fold. FEBS Journal, https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.14368

Microbial carboxylesterases are important biocatalysts that selectively hydrolyze an extensive range of esters. Here, we report the biochemical and structural characterization of an atypical carboxylesterase from Bacillus coagulans (BCE), endowed wit... Read More about A stereospecific carboxyl esterase from Bacillus coagulans hosting nonlipase activity within a lipase-like fold.

Highly efficient oxidation of amines to aldehydes via flow-based biocatalysis (2017)
Journal Article
Contente, M. L., Dall'Oglio, F., Tamborini, L., Molinari, F., & Paradisi, F. (in press). Highly efficient oxidation of amines to aldehydes via flow-based biocatalysis. ChemCatChem, https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201701147

A new mild and efficient process for the preparation of aldehydes in water employed as flavour and fragrance components in food, beverage, cosmetics, as well as in pharmaceuticals was developed using a continuous-flow approach based on an immobilized... Read More about Highly efficient oxidation of amines to aldehydes via flow-based biocatalysis.

Stereoelectronic effects in the reaction of aromatic substrates catalysed by Halomonas elongata transaminase and its mutants (2016)
Journal Article
Contente, M. L., Planchestainer, M., Molinari, F., & Paradisi, F. (in press). Stereoelectronic effects in the reaction of aromatic substrates catalysed by Halomonas elongata transaminase and its mutants. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 14, https://doi.org/10.1039/C6OB01629D

A transaminase from Halomonas elongata and four mutants generated by an in silico-based design, were recombinantly produced in E. coli, purified and applied to the amination of mono-substituted aromatic carbonyl-derivatives. While benzaldehyde deriva... Read More about Stereoelectronic effects in the reaction of aromatic substrates catalysed by Halomonas elongata transaminase and its mutants.

Continuous flow biocatalysis: production and in-line purification of amines by immobilised transaminase from Halomonas elongata (2016)
Journal Article
Planchestainer, M., Contente, M. L., Cassidy, J., Molinari, F., Tamborini, L., & Paradisi, F. (2017). Continuous flow biocatalysis: production and in-line purification of amines by immobilised transaminase from Halomonas elongata. Green Chemistry, 19, https://doi.org/10.1039/c6gc01780k

The continuous flow synthesis of a series of amines was successfully achieved by exploiting the enhanced stability and broad substrate scope of an immobilised transaminases from Halomonas elongata (HEWT). A series of substrates were tested in flow re... Read More about Continuous flow biocatalysis: production and in-line purification of amines by immobilised transaminase from Halomonas elongata.