Perspectives and Prospects for Whole Cell Catalysis

The ability of intact cells to perform chemical transformations has been periodically harnessed when technological, application, and market drivers have aligned. An example is the discovery of the therapeutic benefits of steroids and the realization that some cells could be used to perform selective oxidations that simplified existing multistep syntheses. The aim of the article is to provide some perspective on whole cell catalysis by first looking back at some approaches and successes such as steroid synthesis. Then, an attempt will be made to assess what productive applications lay ahead as well as the challenges that need to be addressed.