Daniel Henri Auriol

A New Peptidase Enzyme Useful for Peptide and Amino Acid Derivative Synthesis by Reverse Hydrolysis Reactions

The established value for Ksyn is the result of the successive equilibria of ionization and condensation,’ with the former corresponding to the endergonic conversion of nonreactive charged reagents to their reactive uncharged forms and the latter corresponding to mass action. The formation of peptide bonds, although very unfavorable on energetic terms, is nonetheless possible by using amino-protected acyl donors. This permits energy exchange at a significantly lower value than that observed when using unprotected amino acids. Peptidases that overcome the free enthalpy of this reaction can render industrial processes more cost-efficient. The use of this peptidase in synthesis reactions for the production of unprotected dipeptides and amino acid derivatives in reverse hydrolysis reactions is described in the following text.