Chemo-enzymatic Production of Specialty Glycans
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The vision of the project centres around the translation of traditional and novel methodologies to develop sustainable and versatile platforms for the industrial production of glycans on scale. We will demonstrate the technology by targeting a set of novel glycan materials that are anticipated to have significant transformational potential in human health and disease in diagnostics and glycoengineering applications. This project requires an integrated approach featuring: 1) synthetic chemistry (unnatural building blocks) 2) biocatalysis (enzymatic synthesis of larger glycans) 3) showcasing glycan potential in diagnostics (glycoarray based platforms). The significant anticipated progression of both biocatalysis and glycoarray technologies will reduce commercialisation barriers both in terms of commercial glycan production and 'first in the market' glycan array companies.
Planned Impact
"As described in proposal submitted to IUK"
Publications
Bulmer GS
(2021)
A promiscuous glycosyltransferase generates poly-ß-1,4-glucan derivatives that facilitate mass spectrometry-based detection of cellulolytic enzymes.
in Organic & biomolecular chemistry
Calle B
(2021)
Benefits of Chemical Sugar Modifications Introduced by Click Chemistry for Glycoproteomic Analyses.
in Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry
Ghirardello M
(2022)
Recent applications of ionic liquid-based tags in glycoscience.
in Carbohydrate research
Ghirardello M
(2020)
Chemo-selective Rh-catalysed hydrogenation of azides into amines.
in Carbohydrate research
Harland A
(2021)
Glioma Stem-Like Cells and Metabolism: Potential for Novel Therapeutic Strategies.
in Frontiers in oncology
Huang K
(2019)
Enzymatic synthesis of N-acetyllactosamine from lactose enabled by recombinant ß1,4-galactosyltransferases.
in Organic & biomolecular chemistry
Huang K
(2020)
Biochemical characterisation of an a1,4 galactosyltransferase from Neisseria weaveri for the synthesis of a1,4-linked galactosides.
in Organic & biomolecular chemistry
Johnson SE
(2022)
Synthesis of 2-deoxy mucin-type O-glycan analogues as biological probes.
in Carbohydrate research
Keenan T
(2023)
Reverse thiophosphorylase activity of a glycoside phosphorylase in the synthesis of an unnatural Manß1,4GlcNAc library
in Chemical Science
| Description | A new Imidazolium-based ITag has been designed and synthesised and assayed with glycan-modifying enzymes showing the compatibility of the labels. The targeted family of compounds proposed has been accomplished and compounds sent to partners for testing. The ionic labels have been used to identify a range of novel enzymes and the findings will be reported in the next few months. |
| Exploitation Route | The compounds prepared within this programme will be useful tools for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector in due course |
| Sectors | Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Some of the compounds prepared within this award are now being commercialized with partners Carbosynth Ltd |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Chemicals |
| Description | Collaboration with industrial partners |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Through this award we have been able to established collaborative links with the following industrial partners: Carbosynth, Dextra, Ludger, Prozomix and GSK |
| Collaborator Contribution | The different partners are supporting the project in kind and by discussing with us the market needs, which is one of the aims of the project "the development of novel biocatalysts for the synthesis of specialty glycans and also the preparation of novel glycoarray for high high throughput screening. |
| Impact | Collaboration is on going - new enzymes have been identified and a publication is currently being prepared.This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Outreach lectures for Bristol Chem Labs to secondary schools |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | over 100 students attended seminars about the role of carbohydrates in life which aparked loads of questions an interest. As a result of my seminars, I have been invited to visit schools to engage with their cohort |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2021,2022,2023 |