IISc researchers Develop Engineered Biocatalyst for Making Drop-in Biofuels

1. The IISc researchers have developed an enzymatic platform capable of converting naturally abundant and inexpensive fatty acids into valuable hydrocarbons called 1-alkenes, which hold promise as biofuels.
2. The team utilized an enzyme called UndB, known for converting fatty acids to 1-alkenes at a high rate. However, they encountered efficiency issues due to enzyme inactivation caused by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a byproduct of the reaction​.
3. To overcome this challenge, the researchers added another enzyme, catalase, to degrade the H2O2, enhancing UndB’s activity significantly. They further created an artificial fusion protein by combining UndB with catalase, resulting in a 19-fold increase in enzyme activity​.
4. The team has applied for a patent for their engineered protein and is seeking industry collaborators to scale up the platform for mass production​.

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