Transformações biológicas

Quim. Nova, Vol. 32, No. 3, 742-756, 2009 Transformações biológicas: conTribuições e perspecTivas# luciana gonzaga de oliveira* e simone moraes mantovani Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, CP 6154, 13083-971 Campinas – SP, Brasil Recebido em 2/2/09; aceito em 10/3/09; publicado na web em 7/4/09

BIOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS: CONTRIBUTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES. In a moment that amazingly advances are being reached on the development of technologies to obtain high value chemical compounds as polymers, fine chemicals, pharmaceutical industry intermediates and chemical entities, we cannot refuse that a meaningful progress is due to the maturing in knowledge of biological transformations. Biocatalysis and biotransformations are being widespread applied to generate processes and products with incredible success. In this review article we present the main contributions of biotechnology and biological catalytic processes to Chemistry, the most important evolution steps on enzymatic transformations, how it has being applied and which are the perspectives to academic and industrial environments. We also would like to stimulate the community to step out research in biotechnology applicable to chemical and pharmaceutical industries, trying to achieve what we believe to be the ideal layout: integrating chemical transformations, enzymatic conversions and fermentation processes. Keywords: biocatalysis; biotransformations; chemistry and biology integration.

inTroDuçÃo “Enzimas são conjuntos de proteínas que catalisam a química da vida”.1 As transformações químicas que ocorrem nos sistemas vivos são promovidas por centenas de milhares de enzimas que atuam catalisando a conversão de um conjunto de substratos em produtos específicos.2 Catalisando a química das sinalizações de macromoléculas e moléculas pequenas, e provavelmente devido a sua forma de ação tão peculiar, as enzimas tornaram-se grandes fontes de inspiração para