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 natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologymineralogycrystallographynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcoholsengineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuelsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biologystructural biology Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG - Marie-Curie Action: "Career Integration Grants" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG) Coordinator IZMIR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EU contribution € 100 000,00 Address GULBAHCE URLA 35430 İzmir Türkiye See on map Region Ege İzmir İzmir Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Volkan Seyrantepe (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
