Biocatalysis is very appealing to the industry because it allows, in principle, the synthesis of products not accessible by chemical synthesis. Enzymes are very effective, as are precise biocatalysts, as they are enantioselective, with mild reaction conditions and green chemistry. Biocatalysis is currently widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, food industry, cosmetic industry, and textile industry. This includes enzyme production, biocatalytic process development, biotransformation, enzyme engineering, immobilization, the synthesis of fine chemicals and the recycling of biocatalysts. One of the most challenging problems in biocatalysis applications is process optimization. This Special Issue shows that an optimized biocatalysis process can provide an environmentally friendly, clean, highly efficient, low cost, and renewable process for the synthesis and production of valuable products. With further development and improvements, more biocatalysis processes may be applied in the future.

This book was written with the purpose of providing a sound basis for the design of enzymatic reactions based on kinetic principles, but also to give an updated vision of the potentials and limitations of biocatalysis, especially with respect to recent app- cations in processes of organic synthesis. The ?rst ?ve chapters are structured in the form of a textbook, going from the basic principles of enzyme structure and fu- tion to reactor design for homogeneous systems with soluble enzymes and hete- geneous systems with immobilized enzymes. The last chapter of the book is divided into six sections that represent illustrative case studies of biocatalytic processes of industrial relevance or potential, written by experts in the respective ?elds. We sincerely hope that this book will represent an element in the toolbox of gr- uate students in applied biology and chemical and biochemical engineering and also of undergraduate students with formal training in organic chemistry, biochemistry, thermodynamics and chemical reaction kinetics. Beyond that, the book pretends also to illustrate the potential of biocatalytic processes with case studies in the ?eld of organic synthesis, which we hope will be of interest for the academia and prof- sionals involved in R&D&I. If some of our young readers are encouraged to engage or persevere in their work in biocatalysis this will certainly be our more precious reward.

Authored by one of the world's leading organic chemists, this authoritative reference provides an overview of basic strategies in directed evolution and introduces common gene mutagenesis, screening and selection methods. Throughout the text, emphasis is placed on methodology development to maximize efficiency, reliability and speed of the experiments and to provide guidelines for efficient protein engineering. Professor Reetz highlights the application of directed evolution experiments to address limitations in the field of enzyme selectivity, substrate scope, activity and robustness. He critically reviews recent developments and case studies, takes a look at future applications in the field of organic synthesis, and concludes with lessons learned from previous experiments.

The book covers the fundamentals of the field of biocatalysis that are not treated in such detail (or even not at all) in existing biocatalysis books or biochemistry textbooks. It of course does not substitute existing biochemistry textbooks but will serve a suitable supplement as it discusses biochemical fundamentals in connection with the respective topics.With focus on the interdisciplinary nature of biocatalysis, the book contains many aspects of fundamental organic chemistry and some of inorganic chemistry as well, which should make it interesting not only for biochemistry but also for chemistry students. An important theme being emphasized in the book is that applied biocatalysis is one of the main prerequisites for a sustainable development.The topics covered ranges from basic enzyme chemistry (biosynthesis, structure, properties, interaction forces, kinetics) to a detailed description of catalytic mechanisms. It covers the fundamentals of the different enzyme classes together with their applications in native and in immobilized state or in the form of whole cells in aqueous as well as non-conventional media. Topics such as catalytic antibodies, nucleic acid catalysts, non-ribosomal peptide synthesis, evolutionary methods, and the design of cells are also included.

Biocatalysis has become an essential tool in the chemical industry and is the core of industrial biotechnology, also known as white biotechnology, making use of biocatalysts in terms of enzymes or whole cells in chemical processes as an alternative to chemical catalysts. This shift can be seen in the many areas of daily life where biocatalysts-with

This reference book originates from the interdisciplinary research cooperation between academia and industry. In three distinct parts, latest results from basic research on stable enzymes are explained and brought into context with possible industrial applications. Downstream processing technology as well as biocatalytic and biotechnological production processes from global players display the enormous potential of biocatalysts. Application of "extreme" reaction conditions (i.e. unconventional, such as high temperature, pressure, and pH value) - biocatalysts are normally used within a well defined process window - leads to novel synthetic effects. Both novel enzyme systems and the synthetic routes in which they can be applied are made accessible to the reader. In addition, the complementary innovative process technology under unconventional conditions is highlighted by latest examples from biotech industry.

A one-stop reference that reviews protein design strategies to applications in industrial and medical biotechnology Protein Engineering: Tools and Applications is a comprehensive resource that offers a systematic and comprehensive review of the most recent advances in the field, and contains detailed information on the methodologies and strategies behind these approaches. The authors—noted experts on the topic—explore the distinctive advantages and disadvantages of the presented methodologies and strategies in a targeted and focused manner that allows for the adaptation and implementation of the strategies for new applications. The book contains information on the directed evolution, rational design, and semi-rational design of proteins and offers a review of the most recent applications in industrial and medical biotechnology. This important book: Covers technologies and methodologies used in protein engineering Includes the strategies behind the approaches, designed to help with the adaptation and implementation of these strategies for new applications Offers a comprehensive and thorough treatment of protein engineering from primary strategies to applications in industrial and medical biotechnology Presents cutting edge advances in the continuously evolving field of protein engineering Written for students and professionals of bioengineering, biotechnology, biochemistry, Protein Engineering: Tools and Applications offers an essential resource to the design strategies in protein engineering and reviews recent applications.