Statistical Optimization of CYP124 Expression: A New Benchmark for Mycobacterial Cytochrome Engineering

Shadbash, Piruz; Bahari Babadi, Marzieh

doi:10.30491/jabr.2025.554511.1932

Statistical Optimization of CYP124 Expression: A New Benchmark for Mycobacterial Cytochrome Engineering

Document Type : Commentary

Authors

Piruz Shadbash ¹^{, 2}

Marzieh Bahari Babadi ³

¹ Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Biochemistry, Medical School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

10.30491/jabr.2025.554511.1932

Abstract

The study by Gunawan and colleagues (J Appl Biotechnol Rep. 2025;12(3)) introduces a statistically grounded optimization strategy for the heterologous expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis CYP124 in Escherichia coli using the Box–Behnken Design (BBD). The research identifies the optimal combination of FeCl₃, δ-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), and IPTG for maximizing yield and purity of CYP124, a cytochrome P450 enzyme implicated in cholesterol metabolism and drug biotransformation. This commentary highlights the scientific significance, methodological robustness, and biotechnological implications of their findings, particularly in the context of tuberculosis (TB) drug discovery and enzyme engineering.

Keywords

Cytochrome P450, CYP124

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Box-Behnken Design

Enzyme Engineering