Rational creation of mutant enzyme showing remarkable enhancement of catalytic activity and enantioselectivity toward poor substrates.

Catalytic activity and enantioselectivity of lipase toward poor substrates bearing bulky substituents on both sides have been dramatically improved by rational design; the E value for a poor substrate was increased from 5 (wild-type enzyme) to >200 (I287F/I290A double mutant) with an acceleration of the reaction rate.