Don’t look
for everyone’s
problem,
look for
everyone’s
solution.

Chairman’s desk

Chairman’s Desk

Pillars of Intentions

At its very core, the Samta Group is formed on three pillars of intentions: a disruptive mindset, environment friendly and sustainability approach, and a deep sense of social responsibility and ethics Chairman’s Desk by Purushottam Agrawal 30 Jan 2021 Instead of asking ourselves, “Why should we do it?” We ask ourselves, “Why not?” Many of our new businesses have risen...
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Point of view

Point of view

Enzyme Engineering – “Evolution on steroids”

Enzyme engineering is paving the way for a future where chemical reactions are quicker, generate less waste, and are environment friendly. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence technologies are expected to accelerate enzyme engineering and further its real-world impact. Point of View by Dr. Vinod Puthan Veetil 28 Feb 2021 Though the name “Enzyme” was coined in 1878, humans have been using them for ages and widely applying them across industries. This super useful protein can become the key to sustainable development. WHAT DETERGENTS, JUICES, AND MEDICINES HAVE IN COMMON Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. They are all around us, in the detergents we wash our clothes with, in the juices we drink, in the breads we eat, and in the medicines we consume. They are also inside us and all other living organisms, where they accelerate all of life’s reactions and are hence often referred to as “biocatalysts.” Though the name “Enzyme” was coined in 1878, we have been exploiting them for ages to make cheese and brew beer. Now, they are widely used in varied industries like detergents, pulp and paper, food processing, leather, textiles, and as biocatalysts in pharmaceutical manufacturing. To meet the rigorous needs of industrial applications, enzymes need to be modified. This can be achieved through Enzyme Engineering.LET’S GET TECHNICAL Like all proteins, enzymes are composed of amino acids and encoded by nucleotide sequences (genes). They can be evolved by making changes in their amino acid sequences. Nature achieves this over long periods through random mutagenesis of genes and natural selection. The process can now be accelerated in a laboratory, and an enzyme can be engineered within weeks or months. In this method, called Directed Evolution, mutations are introduced in enzymes, the variants are screened, and the best variants are selected. The cycle is repeated until desired properties are obtained. If an exhaustive understanding of the enzyme structure and mechanism is available, specific residues can be targeted for mutation. Referred to as enzyme engineering by rational design, this process has nowadays become more prominent with the advancement of computational biology. Using computational methods, several enzyme variants can be screened in silico and only top variants are taken up for experimental verification. A combination of directed evolution and the rational design approach, also called the semi-rational approach, can further enhance enzyme engineering efficiency.FUTURE APPLICATIONS Over the past three decades, enzyme engineering has not only improved existing enzymes but also created enzymes with novel properties. It has played an essential role in synthetic biology, medicine, and biomanufacturing. Enzyme engineering is paving the way for a sustainable “Green Chemistry” future where reactions are quicker, generate less waste, and are environment friendly. Emerging technologies like Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are expected to accelerate enzyme engineering and further its real-world impact.
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In the news

New & Notable

Upcycling: Creative Reuse to craft a sustainable future

In future, advances in technology and processes will lead to the next generation of bio-refineries systems with low-cost conversion of lignocelluloses into biofuels and biochemicals, which will pave the way for a sustainable future. New & Notable by Dr. Parul Parashar 25 Mar 2021 Agricultural waste is a major challenge for the planet. The future needs urgent solutions to upcycle...
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