Objective
The recently discovered wax ester synthases (WS/DGATs) have demonstrated potential to catalyze production of biodiesel (microdiesel) by microbial systems. However, one inherent feature of WS/DGATs, their preference of long chain fatty alcohols as co-substrate, prevents efficient use of WS/DGATs for production of biodiesel. Future structure-guided protein engineering studies to increase the selectivity of WS/DGATs towards ethanol should facilitate de novo biodiesel production by more effective use of WS/DGATs in microbial systems such as bacteria, yeast or algae. However, structures and structure-function relationships of WS/DGATs or their close homologues are not known. Here, the researcher proposes for the first time, the X-ray crystallographic, structural, and biochemical studies of three WS/DGAT variants to be performed in order to obtain their high-resolution atomic structures and to determine their structure-function relationships. The crystal structures of WS/DGATs and subsequent biochemical studies will complete years of prior research by providing structural explanation for WS/DGATs’ relative disfavor of ethanol as co-substrate. Structures will pave the way for future studies to facilitate more efficient biodiesel production and also have potential applications in biosynthesis of tailor-made wax esters and other chemicals derived from petrochemicals. The proposed study, which is tied to the career integration of the researcher at the host institution as a faculty member, has great potential to produce significant scientific contribution and commercial benefits to European Research Area. Moreover, career integration of the researcher will be a catalyst for the introduction of education and research in macromolecular X-ray crystallography and structural biology to the target country. Therefore, the researcher seeks funding within the 7th Framework People Work Programme Marie Curie Actions Career Integration Grants to pay for some of the costs of the study.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology phycology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology mineralogy crystallography
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry alcohols
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology structural biology
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG)
Coordinator
35430 İzmir
Türkiye
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.