et al. used an innovative series of screening and directed evolution steps to produce a new enzyme (CMLase) which can remove a pernicious form of advanced glycation end product (AGE) linkage from proteins. AGEs contribute to biological aging, so CMLase may possess therapeutic potential to combat parts of the aging process.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in proteins, a hallmark of aging, are considered irreversible. Here, authors report the development of CMLase — an enzyme that specifically oxidizes Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) and restores the native lysine residues in vitro and in human tissue samples.