Heat-Resistant Carbonic Anhydrase Mutants for 80°C CO2 Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Carbonic anhydrase enzymes currently used for carbon dioxide capture lose productivity at high temperatures, making them unsuitable for real-world applications in regeneration towers operating above 60°C, necessitating a heat-resistant mutant for efficient carbon dioxide capture at 80°C or higher.

Innovation Solution

A carbonic anhydrase mutant with an A58G mutation in its amino acid sequence, derived from Sulfolobales archaeon AZ1, is developed, which maintains high activity and stability at temperatures up to 80°C, along with methods for producing and using this mutant in a recombinant microorganism for carbon dioxide capture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional carbonic anhydrase is used for carbon dioxide capture, then the enzyme can catalyze the hydration reaction, but the enzyme loses activity and stability at high temperatures (80°C or higher)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenzyme stabilityVSAvoidoperating temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the amino acid sequence of carbonic anhydrase through site-directed mutagenesis. Specifically, mutations at positions 58, 60, and 62 (e.g., A58G, P60S, N62D) were introduced to alter the enzyme's thermal stability parameters while maintaining its catalytic function at high temperatures up to 80°C or higher

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copied and modified version of the natural carbonic anhydrase enzyme from Sulfolobales archaeon AZ1. By copying the gene sequence and introducing specific mutations, the inventors produced a mutant enzyme (KJR78985.1 variant) that replicates the catalytic function while improving thermal stability for industrial applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Temperature

If the enzyme is designed for high temperature stability, then the enzyme can maintain activity at 80°C or higher, but the productivity and catalytic efficiency are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating temperatureVSAvoidcarbon dioxide capture productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes multiple parameters simultaneously through combined amino acid mutations. The triple mutant (A58G, P60S, N62D) was designed to balance thermal stability parameters with catalytic efficiency parameters, achieving both high temperature operation capability and maintained productivity for carbon dioxide capture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 heat-resistant carbonic anhydrase mutant exhibits enhanced stability and carbon dioxide hydration rates at high temperatures, enabling its application in high-temperature carbon dioxide capture processes and can be mass-produced using an E. coli expression system.

Implementation Method 1

A carbonic anhydrase is a metalloenzyme containing zinc ions, which rapidly accelerates the hydration of carbon dioxide

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzyme catalysis: Enzyme

Implementation Method 2

The carbonic anhydrase nucleophilically reacts with carbon dioxide to produce bicarbonate and then greatly facilitates the formation of bicarbonate through exchange with water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMetalloenzyme catalysis: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentEP3604512B1Heat-resistant carbonic anhydrase mutants and composition for capturing carbon dioxide containing the same
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 SK INNOVATION CO LTD
  • EP3604512B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3604512B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3604512B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Disclosed are a carbonic anhydrase mutant having heat resistance at a high temperature of 80°C as well as excellent activity to capture carbon dioxide and a composition for capturing carbon dioxide containing the same. The heat-resistant carbonic anhydrase mutant can be applied to a high-temperature carbon dioxide capture process due to high stability at high temperatures and a high carbon dioxide hydration rate.