Enzymatic hydrogenation of oil using improved temperature-stable enzymes
A novel enzymatic method for hydrogenating unsaturated oils at industrial scales, leveraging ultrahigh throughput screening to evolve enzymes with enhanced temperature stability, oxygen resistance, and activity. This approach promises environmentally friendly operations with no undesired byproducts.
Overview
This innovative enzymatic solution aims to transform the hydrogenation of unsaturated oils at industrial scales by evolving enzymes with significantly improved performance. By applying ultrahigh throughput screening using droplet microfluidics, the solution enhances enzyme temperature stability, oxygen resistance, and activity, enabling environmentally friendly hydrogenation processes without undesired byproducts.
Technical specifications
- Ultrahigh throughput screening: Utilizes droplet microfluidics to screen trillions of enzyme variants, enabling the identification of superior enzymes.
- Directed evolution: Enhanced enzyme variants are generated using a cell-free expression system, ensuring stability and activity under harsh industrial conditions.
- Gene library generation: Novel methods expand the sequence space for enzyme evolution, producing variants with multiple beneficial mutations.
- Hydrogel display technology: Expresses and screens diversified proteins under extreme conditions, selecting enzymes with the highest residual activity.
Technology readiness level
The technology is currently at TRL 4, indicating that it has been validated in a laboratory environment. Future validation steps will focus on refining enzyme variants and scaling up to industrial production levels, ensuring readiness for commercial applications.
About Harvard University
Harvard University is a comprehensive private research university in Cambridge and Boston, recognized for intensive, cross-disciplinary research and education. Industry engages through an integrated innovation ecosystem with shared core facilities, corporate-sponsored research, and incubator space in Allston. Affiliated teaching hospitals in the Longwood Medical Area enable clinical collaboration and translation, while proximity to Kendall Square places partners in a dense R&D corridor. Research is supported by major federal agencies such as the NIH, NSF, DOE and DARPA, as well as philanthropic and corporate sponsors. A dedicated technology transfer office manages IP, licensing, and startup formation and streamlines agreements for corporate collaborations.
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