Dramatically improved catalytic activity of an artificial (S)-selective arylmalonate decarboxylase by structure-guided directed evolution.

Using three rounds of structure-guided directed evolution, the catalytic activity of the (S)-selective arylmalonate decarboxylase variant G74C/C188S could be increased up to 920-fold. The best variant had a 220-fold improved activity in the production of (S)-naproxen with excellent enantioselectivity (>99% ee).