AUTHOR=Nasir Abdul , Ashok Somasundar , Shim Jeung Yeop , Park Sunghoon , Yoo Tae Hyeon 

TITLE=Recent Progress in the Understanding and Engineering of Coenzyme B12-Dependent Glycerol Dehydratase

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2020.500867

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2020.500867

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=<p>Coenzyme B<sub>12</sub>-dependent glycerol dehydratase (GDHt) catalyzes the dehydration reaction of glycerol in the presence of adenosylcobalamin to yield 3-hydroxypropanal (3-HPA), which can be converted biologically to versatile platform chemicals such as 1,3-propanediol and 3-hydroxypropionic acid. Owing to the increased demand for biofuels, developing biological processes based on glycerol, which is a byproduct of biodiesel production, has attracted considerable attention recently. In this review, we will provide updates on the current understanding of the catalytic mechanism and structure of coenzyme B<sub>12</sub>-dependent GDHt, and then summarize the results of engineering attempts, with perspectives on future directions in its engineering.</p>