Project description
A genetic engineering approach to sustainable, more affordable enzymes
Unsustainable manufacturing processes make the chemical industry a major contributor to global pollution. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the UNSHACKLED project will contribute to eco-friendly, enzyme-driven reactions that align with the European Green Deal. The research will focus on a heavily understudied class of enzymes that could create valuable chemical building blocks but are currently costly for factories because they rely on an expensive protein partner. Researchers will use molecular dynamics simulations and genetic engineering to study these proteins at a molecular level and redesign them to work completely independently. These modified enzymes will be tested in laboratory experiments. Project results could help create affordable, sustainable tools that unlock new chemical possibilities for industrial applications.
Objective
The chemical industry contributes majorly to environmental pollution due to unsustainable synthetic processes. Thus, green chemistry has been coined, defining principles to achieve environmental benign development.
Within the scope of this project we will pave the way for enzyme-catalyzed aliphatic halogenation. This approach will provide valuable building blocks to the chemical industry in compliance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal. We will focus our studies on iron/alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent halogenases (αKGH) which are a heavily understudied enzyme class. Especially, members that depend on an acyl-carrier protein, to deliver the substrate, are too costly for industrial implementation. While current research focuses on the discovery of carrier-free αKGHs, we will relieve carrier-dependent αKGHs from their protein partner. This will make those enzymes, and their vastly untapped substrate scope, more accessible to industrial application.
We will tackle this shortcoming through advanced enzyme design. The application of molecular dynamics simulation will generate insight about the interaction between acyl-carrier protein and αKGH. This will be used to expand the understanding of their relationship on a molecular level. The obtained findings will then provide the foundation for rational enzyme engineering to rid αKGHs from their carrier-dependence. In the following, rational design rules will be devised generally applicable to any carrier-dependent αKGH. Finally, in vitro experiments will be employed to validate our predictions, designing the first αKGH relieved from their carrier protein. By approaching this project I anticipate to expand my skill set with computational methods to guide rational enzyme design. The results of this project will not only provide a new understanding about the interaction between acyl-carrier protein and αKGHs but also make their valuable substrate scope accessible to industrial application.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
17004 Girona
Spain
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.