Hybrid enzyme catalysts synthesized by a de novo approach for expanding biocatalysis

The two major challenges in industrial enzymatic catalysis are the limited number of chemical reaction types that are catalyzed by enzymes and the instability of enzymes under harsh conditions in industrial catalysis. Expanding enzyme catalysis to a larger substrate scope and greater variety of chemical reactions and tuning the microenvironment surrounding enzyme molecules to achieve high enzyme performance are urgently needed. In this account, we focus on our efforts using the de novo approach to synthesis hybrid enzyme catalysts that can address these two challenges and the structure–function relationship is discussed to reveal the principles of designing hybrid enzyme catalysts. We hope that this account will promote further efforts toward fundamental research and wide applications of designed enzyme hybrid catalysts for expanding biocatalysis.