Okuda, J.

ACS Catal. 2015, 5, 7519-7522, 10.1021/acscatal.5b01792

A series of Grubbs–Hoveyda type catalyst precursors for olefin metathesis containing a maleimide moiety in the backbone of the NHC ligand was covalently incorporated in the cavity of the β-barrel protein nitrobindin. By using two protein mutants with different cavity sizes and choosing the suitable spacer length, an artificial metalloenzyme for olefin metathesis reactions in water in the absence of any organic cosolvents was obtained. High efficiencies reaching TON > 9000 in the ROMP of a water-soluble 7-oxanorbornene derivative and TON > 100 in ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of 4,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,6-heptadiene in water under relatively mild conditions (pH 6, T = 25–40 °C) were observed.

Okuda, J.; Schwaneberg, U.

Chem. - Eur. J. 2013, 19, 13865-13871, 10.1002/chem.201301515

A β‐barrel protein hybrid catalyst was prepared by covalently anchoring a Grubbs–Hoveyda type olefin metathesis catalyst at a single accessible cysteine amino acid in the barrel interior of a variant of β‐barrel transmembrane protein ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA). Activity of this hybrid catalyst type was demonstrated by ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of a 7‐oxanorbornene derivative in aqueous solution.

Okuda, J.

Org. Biomol. Chem. 2021, 19, 2912-2916, 10.1039/d1ob00279a

A modified Cp*Ru complex, equipped with a maleimide group, was covalently attached to a cysteine of an engineered variant of Ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component: A (FhuA). This synthetic metalloprotein catalyzed the intermolecular alkene–alkyne coupling of 3-butenol with 5-hexynenitrile. When compared with the protein-free Cp*Ru catalyst, the biohybrid catalyst produced the linear product with higher regioselectivity.

Okuda, J.

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 1314-1321, 10.3762/bjoc.12.124

Copper(I) and copper(II) complexes were covalently linked to an engineered variant of the transmembrane protein Ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA ΔCVFtev). Copper(I) was incorporated using an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand equipped with a maleimide group on the side arm at the imidazole nitrogen. Copper(II) was attached by coordination to a terpyridyl ligand. The spacer length was varied in the back of the ligand framework. These biohybrid catalysts were shown to be active in the Diels–Alder reaction of a chalcone derivative with cyclopentadiene to preferentially give the endo product.

Okuda, J.; Schwaneberg, U.

ACS Catal. 2021, 11, 5079-5087, 10.1021/acscatal.1c00134

Directed evolution has helped enzyme engineering to remarkable successes in the past. A main challenge in directed evolution is to find the most suitable starting point, that is, an enzyme that allows maximum “evolvability”. Consisting of a synthetic cofactor embedded in a protein scaffold, artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) are reminiscent of rough-hewn ancestral metalloproteins and thus could provide an evolutionarily clean slate. Here, we report the design and directed evolution of an ArM with peroxidase-like properties based on the nitrobindin variant, NB4. After identifying a suitable artificial metal cofactor, two rounds of directed evolution were sufficient to elevate the ArM’s activity to levels akin to those of some natural peroxidases (up to kcat = 14.1 s–1 and kcat/Km = 52,800 M–1 s–1). A substitution to arginine in the distal cofactor environment (position 76) was the key to boost the peroxidase activity. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal a remarkable flexibility in the distal site of the NB4 scaffold that is absent in the nitrobindin wildtype and which allows the unrestricted movement of the catalytically important Arg76. In addition to the oxidation of the common redox mediators (ABTS, syringaldehyde, and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol), the ArM proved efficient in the decolorization of three recalcitrant dyes (indigo carmine, reactive blue 19, and reactive black 5) and was amenable to several rounds of ArM recycling.

Okuda, J.

Chem. - Asian J. 2015, 10, 177-182, 10.1002/asia.201403005

A biohybrid ring‐opening olefin metathesis polymerization catalyst based on the reengineered β‐barrel protein FhuA ΔCVFtev was chemically modified with respect to the covalently anchored Grubbs–Hoveyda type catalyst. Shortening of the spacer (1,3‐propanediyl to methylene) between the N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand and the cysteine site 545 increased the ROMP activity toward a water‐soluble 7‐oxanorbornene derivative. The cis/trans ratio of the double bond in the polymer was influenced by the hybrid catalyst.

Okuda, J.

Org. Biomol. Chem. 2016, 14, 9174-9183, 10.1039/C6OB01475E

The incorporation of organometallic catalyst precursors in proteins results in so-called artificial metalloenzymes. The protein structure will control activity, selectivity and stability of the organometallic site in aqueous medium and allow non-natural reactions in biological settings. Grubbs-Hoveyda type ruthenium catalysts with an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) as ancillary ligand, known to be active in olefin metathesis, have recently been incorporated in various proteins. An overview of these artificial metalloproteins and their potential application in olefin metathesis is given.

Okuda, J.; Sauer, D.F.

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2018, 14, 2861-2871, 10.3762/bjoc.14.265

This review summarizes the recent progress of Grubbs–Hoveyda (GH) type olefin metathesis catalysts incorporated into the robust fold of β-barrel proteins. Anchoring strategies are discussed and challenges and opportunities in this emerging field are shown from simple small-molecule transformations over ring-opening metathesis polymerizations to in vivo olefin metathesis.