Exploring the catalytic diversity of two short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases from Stachybotrys chartarum

Short-chain dehydrogenase/reductases (SDRs) belong to the NAD(P)(H)-dependent oxidoreductase superfamily, which have various functions of catalyzing oxidation/reduction reactions and have been generally used as powerful biocatalysts in the production of pharmaceuticals. In this study, ScSDR1 and ScSDR2, two new SDRs have been identified and characterized from Stachybotrys chartarum 3.5365. Substrate scope investigation revealed that both of the enzymes possessed the ability to oxidize β-OH to ketone specifically, and exhibited substrate promiscuity and high stereo-selectivity for efficiently catalyzing the structurally different prochiral ketones to chiral alcohols. These findings not only suggest that ScSDR1 and ScSDR2 might be potent synthetic tools in drug research and development, but also provide good examples for further engineered enzymes with higher efficiency and stereo-selectivity.