Variant G4 Amylase Polypeptide Engineering for Thermostability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for an improved G4-amylase enzyme that enhances bread volume and prevents staling, as well as offers better performance in various industrial applications such as animal feed, detergents, personal care products, pulp and paper processing, ethanol production, and oilfield operations, where existing amylases fall short in terms of stability and effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A variant polypeptide with G4 amylase activity is developed, which has at least 80% sequence identity to a reference sequence and includes modifications such as amino acid substitutions, deletions, or insertions at specific positions, resulting in improved enzyme activity, thermostability, and pH stability, allowing it to maintain 5% higher residual activity at 65°C compared to the original G4-amylase.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing G4-amylase is used, then basic starch hydrolysis function is provided, but enzyme activity and stability are insufficient for improved bread volume and industrial applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenzyme stabilityVSAvoidenzyme activity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying specific amino acid residues at positions 31, 111, 123, 136, 141, 143, 145, 148, 149, 152, 153, 156, 160, 162, 178, 181, 184, 190, 206, 213, 215, 227, 309, 315, 345, 346, 348, 394, 401, and 422 to optimize the enzyme's catalytic efficiency and thermal stability, thereby resolving the contradiction between enzyme activity and stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates composite enzyme structures by combining multiple amino acid substitutions to generate variant polypeptides with synergistic effects, achieving both enhanced enzyme activity and improved stability for better performance in bread making and industrial applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If amino acid modifications are made to improve enzyme activity, then catalytic efficiency increases, but protein structure stability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenzyme activityVSAvoidprotein structure stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making targeted amino acid substitutions at specific positions (31, 111, 123, 136, 141, 143, 145, 148, 149, 152, 153, 156, 160, 162, 178, 181, 184, 190, 206, 213, 215, 227, 309, 315, 345, 346, 348, 394, 401, 422) rather than random modifications, allowing catalytic efficiency to be enhanced while maintaining overall protein structure stability through localized changes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If thermostability is enhanced to maintain activity at elevated temperatures, then industrial application performance improves, but enzyme flexibility for substrate binding may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethermostabilityVSAvoidsubstrate binding flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by selecting specific amino acid substitutions that differentially affect thermal stability versus substrate binding flexibility, allowing the enzyme to maintain optimal balance between thermostability and adaptability for effective starch hydrolysis in industrial applications

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 variant polypeptide exhibits enhanced enzyme activity and thermostability, maintaining significant residual activity at elevated temperatures, thereby improving performance in diverse industrial applications including baking and starch processing.

Implementation Method 1

Amylase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of starches into sugars. Amylases hydrolyze internal α-1,4 glucosidic linkages in starch

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzymatic hydrolysis: Enzyme

Implementation Method 2

the variant polypeptide has an increase in enzyme activity, thermostability, or any combination thereof when compared to the G4-amylase of SEQ ID NO:1

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermostability:

Data Source

PatentUS20220186200A1Amylases and methods for making and using them
Publication Date: 2022.06.16 DANSTAR FERMENT AG

AI summary

Variant polypeptides having G4-amylase activity and methods of making and using the enzymes in baking, detergents, personal care products, in the processing of textiles, in pulp and paper processing, in the production of ethanol, lignocellulosic ethanol, or syrups; or as viscosity breakers in oilfield and mining industries.