Phosphatidylserine (PS for short) is an important phospholipid component present in cell membranes. It has significant effects in improving cognitive function and relieving stress, and is widely used in the health product, food, and pharmaceutical industries. With the continuous growth of market demand, the research and optimization of its production process have become increasingly crucial. Compared with chemical synthesis methods, Taizhou Lingfeng Biology's process of producing phosphatidylserine using enzymatic catalysis has become a research hotspot and development trend in current phosphatidylserine production due to its advantages such as being environmentally friendly, having mild reaction conditions, and high specificity.

 

I. Reaction Principle of Enzymatic Catalysis for Synthesizing Phosphatidylserine

The core of enzymatic catalysis for synthesizing phosphatidylserine is to utilize the catalytic action of specific enzymes to achieve the transfer of phosphatidyl groups between substrates. Common enzyme catalysts include phospholipase D (PLD), lipases, etc. Taking phospholipase D as an example, its catalytic reaction usually uses naturally - sourced phospholipids (such as soybean phospholipids and egg yolk phospholipids) and serine as substrates. In a suitable reaction system, phospholipase D can specifically recognize the phosphatidyl group in phospholipid molecules, cleave it from the original phospholipid molecule, and catalyze the combination of this phosphatidyl group with serine, thereby generating phosphatidylserine and corresponding by - products (such as choline, etc.). This enzymatic reaction has a high degree of regioselectivity and stereoselectivity, which can precisely synthesize the target product and reduce the occurrence of side reactions.

 

II. Raw Material Selection for the Enzymatic Catalysis Production Process of Phosphatidylserine

(I) Phospholipid Raw Materials

Natural phospholipids are the main source of raw materials for the enzymatic production of phosphatidylserine. Among them, soybean phospholipids and egg yolk phospholipids are the most commonly used. Soybean phospholipids are widely available and relatively inexpensive. They are rich in various phospholipid components such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. After appropriate pretreatment and purification, they can be used as good substrates for the reaction.

(II) Serine

As another key substrate in the reaction, the purity and quality of serine are equally crucial. Industrial - grade L - serine usually needs to meet relatively high purity standards (generally required to be ≥98%) to avoid the adverse effects of impurities on enzyme activity and the reaction process. In addition, the solubility and stability of serine can also affect the reaction efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to reasonably control the concentration of serine in the reaction system and select appropriate solvents to improve its solubility and stability.

(III) Enzyme Preparations

The performance of enzyme preparations directly determines the reaction rate, yield, and selectivity. For catalysts such as phospholipase D, factors such as their source, activity, stability, and specificity for substrates need to be considered.

III. Process Flow of Enzymatic Catalysis for Producing Phosphatidylserine

(I) Raw Material Pretreatment

• Pretreatment of Phospholipids: Naturally - sourced phospholipids often contain impurities such as oils, pigments, and free fatty acids, and thus require pretreatment.
• Dissolution of Serine: According to the requirements of the reaction system, serine is dissolved in a suitable solvent, such as water or an ethanol - water mixed solution. To promote the dissolution of serine, it can be appropriately heated and stirred while controlling the pH value of the solution within an appropriate range to improve the solubility and stability of serine.

(II) Enzymatic Catalysis Reaction

The pretreated phospholipids and serine solution are mixed in a certain proportion, and an appropriate amount of enzyme preparation is added. The enzymatic reaction is carried out under suitable reaction conditions. The control of reaction conditions is crucial to the reaction results, mainly including reaction temperature, pH value, reaction time, and substrate concentration ratio. During the reaction process, it is necessary to continuously stir or use other methods to ensure full contact between the substrate and the enzyme. At the same time, online monitoring methods (such as high - performance liquid chromatography, thin - layer chromatography, etc.) are used to monitor the reaction process in real - time. The reaction conditions are adjusted in a timely manner according to the reaction situation to ensure that the reaction reaches the best effect.

(III) Product Separation and Purification

• Separation of Enzymes: After the reaction is completed, the enzyme needs to be separated from the reaction mixture first.
• Extraction of Crude Products: An appropriate extraction method is used to extract phosphatidylserine from the reaction mixture.
• Purification and Refinement: After extraction, the crude product still contains a small amount of impurities and needs further purification. The main purification methods include column chromatography, high - performance liquid chromatography, preparative thin - layer chromatography, etc.

(IV) Product Drying and Packaging

The purified phosphatidylserine solution is concentrated and then dried to obtain solid phosphatidylserine products. During the drying process, it is necessary to strictly control the temperature and time to avoid quality changes such as oxidation and degradation of the product due to high temperature or long - term heating. According to the common packaging specifications required by customers, it is packaged into 1KG/bag, 5KG/bag, and 25KG/drum for customers to choose.

 

IV. Advantages of the Enzymatic Catalysis Production Process for Phosphatidylserine

(I) Environmentally Friendly

Enzymatic catalysis reactions usually occur under mild conditions without the need to use a large amount of organic solvents, strong acids, strong alkalis, and other chemical reagents, reducing environmental pollution and conforming to the concept of sustainable development.

(II) High Specificity

Enzymes have a high degree of specificity and can precisely catalyze the target reaction, reducing the occurrence of side reactions. This can improve the purity and quality of the product and reduce the difficulty and cost of subsequent separation and purification.

(III) Mild Reaction Conditions

Compared with chemical synthesis methods, the temperature, pH value, and other conditions of enzymatic catalysis reactions are relatively mild, avoiding the requirements of extreme conditions such as high temperature and high pressure on equipment, and reducing energy consumption and safety risks during the production process.

 

V. Industry Challenges in the Enzymatic Catalysis Production of Phosphatidylserine

After enzymatic catalysis technology has become the mainstream production route in the phosphatidylserine industry, the original process advantages have gradually become homogeneous. If enterprises want to build core product competitiveness, they need to make strategic breakthroughs at the raw material and key technology levels:

 

At the raw material level, currently, phosphatidylcholine, the main raw material for the industrial production of phosphatidylserine, is still mainly extracted from soybeans. To gain an advantage at the raw material end, enterprises need to build a differential supply chain system by extending the industrial chain. However, the longer the industrial chain is not necessarily the better. Enterprises should focus on high - value - added links based on their core advantages such as capital, technology, and market, such as establishing exclusive raw material planting bases to ensure stable quality, or developing efficient raw material pretreatment technologies to reduce impurity interference and improve raw material utilization.

 

At the core technology level, although phospholipase D is commercially available, the performance of enzyme preparations from different enterprises varies significantly. This difference is directly reflected in enzyme activity, and the level of enzyme activity determines the conversion rate of phosphatidylserine, becoming the key to competition in product cost and quality among enterprises. In addition, the immobilization technology of phospholipase D is worthy of in - depth exploration. By immobilizing phospholipase D on a suitable carrier, not only can the stability and reusability of the enzyme be improved, reducing production costs, but also the problem of separating the enzyme from the product can be solved. However, whether the immobilized phospholipase D can maintain high - efficiency catalytic activity in large - scale industrial production and be compatible with industrial equipment and production processes remains an important issue that requires close cooperation between scientific research and production to overcome. It will also become a new direction for enterprises to form technical barriers and shape product advantages.