Engineering the catalytic properties of Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 96.0375

Key words (English)

Cellulase; cellobiohydrolase; cel6a; cel7a; glycosidase; inhibitor; hydroximolactam; imidazole; isoquinuclidine

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: BIO4-CT96-0580

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 4.1 Biotechnology

Short description (English)

See abstract

Abstract (English)

The project aims at the synthesis of inhibitors of cellulases to elucidate their mecanism of action and assist in the design of mutated enzyme with taylored properties.
We have prepared a range of mono-, di-, and trisaccharides analogues such as the lactone oxime A and the imidazole B.
Determination of the kinetics of the inhibition of Cel6A and Cel7A, two exo cellobiohydrolases of Trichoderma reesei, by these and other compounds in conjunction with X-Ray analysis of the native enzymes and their mutants in collaboration with the other partners of the consortiun, has resulted in a detailed hypothesis about the structure of the transition state.
On the basis of this hypothesis we are now synthesising novel inhibitors such as the isoquinuclidine C.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 96.0375