The metabolism of microorganisms involves processes for synthesizing new organic material that have been optimized by nature in the course of evolution.
Enzymes play a key part as biocatalysts.
Industry wants to exploit the special talents of biocatalysts for the synthesis of complex active chemical entities for drugs or crop protection agents because catalysts make processes more efficient and environmentally benign. But suitable enzymes are difficult to find. The enzymes they produce are frequently very difficult to test in the lab. The combination of biotechnological processes and computer-aided screening enables the search to be carried out with high efficiency. Complex substances can be synthesized conventionally only at some inconvenience, if at all.