Biocatalytic conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide using an engineered toluene monooxygenaseElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4cc08802f

Mutants of toluene o -xylene monooxygenase are demonstrated to oxidize ethylene to ethylene oxide in vivo at yields of >99%. The best mutant increases ethylene oxidation activity by >5500-fold relative to the native enzyme. This is the first report of a recombinant enzyme capable of carrying out this industrially significant chemical conversion. We report the first recombinant enzyme in E. coli capable of transforming ethylene to ethylene oxide.