National Institute of General Medical Sciences 2R15GM144877-02

Discovery and Characterization of Novel Halogenases from the Human Microbiome and from Archaea

This award supports research to discover and characterize novel flavin-dependent halogenase enzymes from the human microbiome and archaea. The project aims to expand the understanding of these enzymes for green chemistry applications, including pharmaceutical and agrochemical synthesis, by identifying new enzymes, studying their substrate scope, and developing real-time assays for enzyme activity.

Description

Flavin-dependent halogenases catalyze regioselective chlorination, bromination, or iodination of aromatic compounds and we are interested in identifying novel members of this family in order to improve their potential to be used as biocatalysts for an environmentally friendly green chemistry approach to synthesis of aryl halides, key building blocks for pharmaceuticals that treat a wide variety of conditions, as well as agrochemicals and other commercially important molecules. This project will identify and characterize new flavin-dependent halogenase enzymes produced by the bacteria of the human microbiome, the unique community of microorganisms that inhabit our gut, skin, and other tissues and contribute to human metabolism, immunity, and brain function. It will also develop new analytical methods to study the rates of the reactions carried out by these enzymes and how those rates are different for different substrates and under different conditions.

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