Disease relevance of DERA

• In this study we applied directed evolution to optimize Escherichia coli 2-deoxy-D-ribose 5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) as biocatalyst for the industrial synthesis of (3R,5S)-6-chloro-2,4,6-trideoxyhexapyranoside [1].

High impact information on DERA

• Coupling of the glycolytic pathway and deoxyriboaldolase-catalyzing reaction efficiently supplied 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate, which is a key intermediate for 2'-deoxyribonucleoside synthesis [2].
• Fructose 1,6-diphosphate was further transformed to 2-deoxyribose 5-phosphate in the presence of acetaldehyde by deoxyriboaldolase-expressing Escherichia coli cells via D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate [2].
• This versatile chiral precursor for vastatin drugs like Lipitor (atorvastatin) is synthesized by DERA in a tandem-aldol reaction from chloroacetaldehyde and two acetaldehyde equivalents [1].
• Channelling of deoxyribose moiety of exogenous DNA into carbohydrate metabolism: role of deoxyriboaldolase [3].
• In this respect, deoxyriboaldolase appears the key enzyme, allowing the utilisation of deoxyribose 5-P through glycolysis [3].

Anatomical context of DERA

• Our results indicate that the deoxyriboaldolase activity is present in the liver of several vertebrates and in a number of cell lines [3].

References