An Engineered Self-Sufficient Biocatalyst Enables Scalable Production of Linear α-Olefins from Carboxylic Acids

Fusing the decarboxylase OleTJE and the reductase domain of P450BM3 creates a self-sufficient protein, OleT-BM3R, which is able to efficiently catalyze oxidative decarboxylation of carboxylic acids into linear α-olefins (LAOs) under mild aqueous conditions using O2 as the oxidant and NADPH as the electron donor. The compatible electron transfer system installed in the fusion protein not only eliminates the need for auxiliary redox partners, but also results in boosted decarboxylation reactivity and broad substrate scope. Coupled with the phosphite dehydrogenase-based NADPH regeneration system, this enzymatic reaction proceeds with improved product titers of up to 2.51 g L–1 and volumetric productivities of up to 209.2 mg L–1 h–1 at low catalyst loadings (∼0.02 mol %). With its stability and scalability, this self-sufficient biocatalyst offers a nature-friendly approach to deliver LAOs.