Engineered Adenosine Kinase pH Optima Shift

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing enzyme cascades for ATP regeneration or production of synthetic nucleotides face incompatibility issues between individual enzymatic reactions, limiting their efficiency and effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

Engineered adenosine kinases with specific amino acid sequences, exhibiting at least 70% to 99% sequence identity to reference sequences, are developed to enhance the transformation of nucleoside substrates into corresponding nucleoside monophosphates, thereby improving the compatibility and efficiency of enzyme cascades.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If enzyme cascades are used for ATP regeneration or production of synthetic nucleotides, then the opportunity to deal with unstable or toxic intermediates and shift equilibrium is improved, but incompatibility issues between individual enzymatic reactions limit efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to deal with unstable or toxic intermediatesVSAvoidreaction yield efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the pH optima of adenosine kinase through engineered variants (e.g., Ak2p with pH optimum shifted to 7.0-7.5). This allows the enzyme to function effectively in the neutral pH range required by other cascade enzymes like nucleoside phosphorylase and nucleotide kinases, thereby resolving incompatibility issues while maintaining high reaction efficiency and productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If adenosine kinase is used in enzyme cascades, then ATP regeneration or production of synthetic nucleotides is achieved, but incompatibility issues between individual enzymatic reactions occur

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveATP regeneration efficiencyVSAvoidcompatibility with other enzymatic reactions
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent engineers adenosine kinase variants with modified pH optima (e.g., Ak2p variant with pH optimum at 7.0-7.5) to match the operational conditions of other enzymes in the cascade. This parameter modification enables compatibility with neutral pH-requiring enzymes while maintaining high ATP regeneration efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The engineered adenosine kinase is designed to function universally across different enzyme cascade configurations. The variant demonstrates broad adaptability by working effectively with multiple different nucleoside substrates and compatible with various downstream enzymes in the cascade, achieving multi-functional versatility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The engineered adenosine kinases demonstrate improved properties such as increased activity, thermostability, and compatibility with other enzymatic reactions, leading to enhanced ATP regeneration and nucleotide production efficiencies.

Implementation Method 1

Adenosine kinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of adenosine (Ado) to nucleoside monophosphate (5'-AMP) using ATP as a phosphate donor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzyme catalysis: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS20250122486A1Engineered adenosine kinase variants
Publication Date: 2025.04.17 CODEXIS INC

AI summary

The present disclosure provides engineered adenosine kinase polypeptides, and recombinant polynucleotides encoding the engineered adenosine kinases. The present disclosure further provides method of using the engineered adenosine kinases.