Novel methods for biocatalyst screening

There have been a number of recent advances in catalysis assays applicable for screening biocatalyst libraries in high-throughput format. These includ e instrumental assays such as high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis and IR-thermography, reagent-based assays producing spectroscopic signals (UV/VIS or fluorescence) in response to reaction progress, and assays based on fluorogenic or chromogenic subst rates. These fluorogenic substrates enable the assaying of a variety of enz ymes in enantioselective and stereoselective manner, including alcohol dehy drogenases, aldolases, lipases, amidases, epoxide hydrolases and phosphatas es.