Enzymatic engineering includes a wide variety of techniques related to the manipulation of molecules to create new enzymes, or proteins, that have useful characteristics. These techniques range from the modification of existing enzymes to the creation of totally new enzymes. Typically, this involves changing the protein on a genetic level by mutating a gene. Other ways that modifications to enzymes are made are by chemical reactions and synthesis.

Enzymes are relatively large, complex molecules that catalyze biochemical reactions. These include such diverse reactions as the digestion of sugars, DNA replication, or the combating of diseases. For this reason, the creation of improved enzymes has been an important field of study for the last fifty years. A variety of steps are involved in the creation of modified enzymes. These entail a determination of the molecular structure, function and modifications to improve the effectiveness.

The key to creating...