PELAS (PEROXIDASES & LACCASES): Fungal metalloenzymes oxidizing aromatic compounds of industrial interest

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0585

Key words (English)

Carbon recycling; degrading biopolymer lignin; peroxidases;enzymes; Biotechnology; Environmental Protection; Innovation; Technology Transfer; Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Waste Management

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK3CT199900590

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.3 The 'cell factory'

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: CIB-CSIC, Madrid (E)

Abstract (English)

The first objective is to overcome one of the main bottlenecks for the use of laccases and peroxidases from ligninolytic basidiomycetes metalloenzymes with high technological potential because of ability to oxidize aromatic compounds, which is related to the difficulties to have high amount of active enzyme. Different strategies for their heterologous expression will be intended including optimised refolding of protein from bacterial inclusion bodies, improved production and secretion using industrial ascomycete and development of a new basidiomycete expression system. Simultaneously, several key aspects of their catalytic activity will be investigated using techniques for protein structural characterization (x-ray and NMR) and confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. With the above information in hand tailor-made enzymes will be designed to improved (catalytic efficiency and/or stability) and produced using the best expression systems. Finally, fermentation technology for production of native and engineered enzymes will be optimised, and industrial applications evaluated with the collaboration of two enzyme-product.

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: 99.0585