Thermus thermophilus Glycosynthases for the Efficient Synthesis of Galactosyl and Glucosyl β-(1→3)-Glycosides

Inverting mutant glycosynthases were designed according to the Withers strategy, starting from wild‐type Thermus thermophilus retaining Tt‐β‐Gly glycosidase. Directed mutagenesis of catalytic nucleophile glutamate 338 by alanine, serine, and glycine afforded the E338A, E338S, and E338G mutant enzymes, respectively. As was to be expected, the mutants were unable to catalyze the hydrolysis of the transglycosidation products. In agreement with previous results, the E338S and E338G catalysts were much more efficient than E338A. Moreover, our results showed that these enzymes were inactive in the hydrolysis of the α‐D‐glycopyranosyl fluorides used as donors, and so suitable experimental conditions, under which the rate of spontaneous hydrolysis of the donor was considerably lower than that of enzymatic transglycosidation, provided galactosyl and glucosyl β‐(1→3)‐glycosides in yields of up to 90 %. The structure of native Tt‐β‐Gly available in the Protein Data Bank offers a good basis for interpretation of our results by means of molecular modeling. Thus, in the case of the E338S mutant, a lower energy of the system was obtained when the donor and the acceptor were in the right position to form the β‐(1→3)‐glycosidic bond. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)