State-of-the-Art Enzyme Engineering and Biocatalysis in Europe

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Biocatalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 714

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, I-27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: chemoenzymatic synthesis; medicinal chemistry; biocatalysis; protein engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: fermentation; biocatalysis; circular economy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Enzyme engineering and biocatalysis represent key technologies at the interface of molecular biology, chemistry, and process engineering, offering sustainable and efficient solutions for the production of pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, agrochemicals, bio-based materials, and more. Europe has a distinguished tradition of excellence in this field, actively driving innovation through interdisciplinary collaborations and robust industrial partnerships.

In alignment with the priorities of the European Green Deal and the objectives of Horizon Europe, this Special Issue aims to highlight the role of enzyme engineering and biocatalysis in advancing green and circular economy goals, reducing environmental impact, fostering an efficient use of resources, and enabling the sustainable production of pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and bio-based products.

To this end, we welcome submissions of original research articles and review papers. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Rational design and directed evolution of enzymes for improved performance and selectivity.
  • Biocatalytic approaches for the sustainable synthesis of pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and value-added products.
  • Insights into enzyme structure–function relationships and catalytic mechanisms.
  • Innovative strategies for enzyme immobilization and process intensification.
  • Development of multi-enzyme cascade reactions and integration with chemical catalysis.
  • Application of computational methods and artificial intelligence in enzyme design and pathway optimization.
  • Advances in bioprocess engineering for scalable and efficient biocatalytic production.

We are confident that this Special Issue will provide an inspiring overview of the state of enzyme engineering and biocatalysis in Europe, fostering collaboration and innovation across the scientific community, while contributing to the overarching goals of European research and sustainable development.

Dr. Teodora Bavaro
Dr. Marina S. Robescu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • enzyme engineering
  • biocatalysis
  • directed evolution
  • enzyme immobilization
  • multi-enzyme cascade reactions
  • bioprocess engineering
  • chemoenzymatic synthesis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 3858 KB  
Article
Influence of Dietary Polyphenols on Catalase Activity In Vitro
by Claudia Chivu, Anca Leonties, Speranta Avram, Ana Maria Udrea, Petruta Oancea and Adina Raducan
Catalysts 2025, 15(10), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15100940 - 1 Oct 2025
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Abstract
The study investigated the impact of three prevalent polyphenols—quercetin, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid—on catalase activity. It was determined that all three polyphenols are capable of binding to catalase, resulting in the formation of a stable complex. This finding was corroborated through fluorescence [...] Read more.
The study investigated the impact of three prevalent polyphenols—quercetin, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid—on catalase activity. It was determined that all three polyphenols are capable of binding to catalase, resulting in the formation of a stable complex. This finding was corroborated through fluorescence quenching studies and kinetic modeling. At low concentrations, each polyphenol exhibited an activation effect on catalase; however, at concentrations exceeding 100 μM, they began to function as inhibitors. Notably, caffeic acid and ferulic acid were observed to protect the enzyme from operational inactivation, whereas quercetin did not demonstrate this protective effect. The association constants derived from kinetic modeling were compared with those obtained from docking simulations. The results suggest that polyphenols may exert both beneficial and potentially detrimental effects on cellular antioxidant systems, contingent upon their concentration and specific molecular interactions. This highlights the necessity for careful consideration of dosage in any prospective therapeutic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Enzyme Engineering and Biocatalysis in Europe)
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