Annual Conference 2025 of the Association for General and Applied Microbiology - Jahrestagung 2025 der Vereinigung für Allgemeine und Angewandte Mikrobiologie

Prof.

Chair

Enzyme Discovery, Engineering and Applications in Biocatalysis

Plenary lecture

This lecture will cover our recent achievements in the discovery, protein engineering and application of enzymes in biocatalysis [1].For the conversion of complex polysaccharides from marine algae, we have discovered a new class of P450 monooxygenases from marine bacteria, which play a central role in the demethylation of porphyran [2]. Furthermore, we identified the entire degradation pathway of the complex algal carbohydrate ulvan involving >13 different enzymes from marine bacteria [3] and we could show that Bacillus licheniformis can grow on these ulvan hydrolysates [4].For the recycling of plastics, we have initially studied PET and created different improved esterases [5]. Recently, we established a protocol enabling a fair comparison of different PETases reported in literature [6]. Moreover, we have identified the first three urethanases in a metagenomic library able to depolymerize polyurethanes [7]. We determined their X-rays structures and improved them by enzyme engineering [8]. We also established enzyme cascade reactions to degrade poly(vinylalcohols) [9] and more recently also the challenging polyethylene [10].ReferencesBuller, R. et al., Science, 382, eadh8615 (2023); Yi., D. et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 50, 8003-8049 (2021); Wu, S. et al. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 60, 88-119 (2021); Badenhorst C.P.S., Bornscheuer, U.T., Trends Biochem. Sci., (2018), 43, 180-198; Bornscheuer, U.T. et al., Nature, 485, 185-194 (2012)Reisky, L., et al., Nature Chem. Biol., 14, 342-344 (2018)Bäumgen, M. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 297, 101210 (2022); Reisky, L., et al., Nature Chem. Biol., 15, 803-812 (2019)Dutschei, T. et al., Microb. Cell Fact., 21, 207 (2022)Wei, R. et al., Nature Catal., 3, 867-871 (2020); Bornscheuer, U.T., Science, 351, 1155-1156 (2016); Wei, R. et al., Nature Commun., 10, 558 (2019); Pfaff, L. et al., ACS Catal., 12, 9790-9800 (2022); von Haugwitz et al., ACS Catal., 12, 15259-15270 (2022)Arnal, G. et al., ACS Catal., 13, 13156-13166 (2023).Branson, Y. et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 62, e202216220 (2023)Bayer, T. et al. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 63, e202404492 (2024); Rotilio. L. et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 64, e202419535Li (2025); Li, Z. et al., Adv. Sci. (2025), DOI: 10.1002/advs.202416019.von Haugwitz, G. et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 62, e202216962 (2023)Oiffer, T. et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 63, e202415012 (2024)

Plenary session 2
Biocatalysis

Appointment

Chair

Programme

Plenary session 2Biocatalysis

Appointment

Chair

Programme

Plenary session 2
Biocatalysis