Project information
Rational design and engineering of enzyme gates
(BIOGATE)
- Project Identification
- 4SGA8519
- Project Period
- 3/2014 - 12/2016
- Investor / Pogramme / Project type
-
South-Moravian Region
- SoMoPro
- Incoming grants
- MU Faculty or unit
- Faculty of Science
Gates are structural features that control key functions in various biological systems, from enzymes, ion channels, to protein complexes, etc. In spite of their importance, the knowledge about their structure and function is still limited, and to date there have been no attempts to rationally construct them in order to improve protein properties.
In this project, we propose to develop novel concepts and methods for engineering enzyme properties by de novo design of gates. For that purpose, the haloalkane dehalogenases will be used as model enzymes, representing a wide class of enzymes characterized by a buried active site connected to the surface by tunnels. These are bacterial enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of a wide variety of halogenated organic compounds into the corresponding alcohols. This property makes them very interesting for a number of technological applications, such as bioremediation, biocatalysis, and biosensors. Redesign of these tunnels has been accomplished in previous works and has proven successful to increase enzyme activity, enantioselectivity and stability.
Herein, through a systematic theoretical study, we will investigate the dynamics of the tunnels and their gates. In the next step, we will rationally design new gates and optimize their function, in order to maximize the reaction rate. This procedure will allow us to design and experimentally produce mutant enzymes with improved catalytic properties. With this challenging project, we expect to deliver new concepts and methods of protein engineering which will be applicable to a wide range of technologically important enzymes.
Publications
Total number of publications: 5
2018
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Evolutionary Analysis As a Powerful Complement to Energy Calculations for Protein Stabilization
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Impact of the access tunnel engineering on catalysis is strictly ligand-specific
the FEBS Journal, year: 2018, volume: 285/2018, edition: 8, DOI
2017
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Catalytic Cycle of Haloalkane Dehalogenases Toward Unnatural Substrates Explored by Computational Modeling
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL INFORMATION AND MODELING, year: 2017, volume: 57, edition: 8, DOI
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Enzyme Tunnels and Gates As Relevant Targets in Drug Design
MEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS, year: 2017, volume: 37, edition: 5, DOI
2016
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Role of Tunnels and Gates in Enzymatic Catalysis
UNDERSTANDING ENZYMES: FUNCTION, DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND ANALYSIS, year: 2016, number of pages: 43 s.