A general and efficient strategy for generating the stable enzymes

The local flexibility of an enzyme’s active center plays pivotal roles in catalysis, however, little is known about how the flexibility of these flexible residues affects stability. In this study, we proposed an active center stabilization (ACS) strategy to improve the kinetic thermostability of Candida rugosa lipase1. Based on the B-factor ranking at the region ~10 Å within the catalytic Ser209, 18 residues were selected for site-saturation mutagenesis. Based on three-tier high-throughput screening and ordered recombination mutagenesis, the mutant VarB3 (F344I/F434Y/F133Y/F121Y) was shown to be the most stable, with a 40-fold longer in half-life at 60 °C and a 12.7 °C higher T(m) value than that of the wild type, without a decrease in catalytic activity. Further analysis of enzymes with different structural complexities revealed that focusing mutations on the flexible residues within around 10 Å of the catalytic residue might increase the success rate for enzyme stabilization. In summary, this study identifies a panel of flexible residues within the active center that affect enzyme stability. This finding not only provides clues regarding the molecular evolution of enzyme stability but also indicates that ACS is a general and efficient strategy for exploring the functional robustness of enzymes for industrial applications.