Objective
The LightZymes project aims to create artificial enzymes (LightZymes) catalyzing selective light-driven conversions of small organic molecules.
Enzyme catalysis has a large potential in the development of a sustainable, bio-based economy and is increasingly applied on industrial scale. Nature’s repertoire of enzymatic reactions is huge, but for many reactions developed by chemists, no natural enzyme is available.
I envision expanding the chemical diversity of enzymes to photoredox catalysis. Chemists perform this type of reactions by employing photo(organo) redox catalysts (PC). However, achieving regio- and stereoselectivities is challenging, because radical intermediates generated during the reaction are difficult to control. To solve this problem, I will combine the strength of bio- and photocatalysis: organic PCs as artificial cofactors provide new reactivities, and the proteins will be evolved to render the reactions highly selective. This approach differs from artificial photosynthesis: instead converting light energy in high-energy cofactors (NADPH, ATP), light will directly enable selective synthesis reactions.
Efficient directed evolution requires an easy assembly of the catalyst, preferentially inside the cell. I propose to apply genetic code engineering and to supply the PC in the form of non-canonical amino acids (ncAA). Engineered amino acyl tRNA synthetases will incorporate the PC directly during ribosomal synthesis. This will facilitate–for the first time–the assembly of hybrid catalysts in the cytoplasm without needing further modifications or purifications. This opens the door for applying high-throughput screening based on mass spectrometry and FACS to generate highly selective variants.
By bridging the concepts of photoorganocatalysis and biocatalysis, LightZymes will substantially expand the chemical repertoire of naturally evolved enzymes. This paves the way to directly using light as energy source to drive biocatalytic asymmetric reactions.
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.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2017-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
10623 Berlin
Germany
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.