Bioengineering halogenases for drug synthesis.

Cheap and efficient synthesis of drug molecules remains a challenge and often leads to a large amount of by-products. Nature has developed a large range of enzymes for Natural Product Synthesis, which adds a halogen atom to a molecule. Halogenated hydrocarbons are relatively uncommon natural products, but important products in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. In recent years a number of halogenases and haloperoxidases have been discovered but little is known on their reactivity and scope of industrial applications. Utilizing halogenases and haloperoxidases in Industrial Biotechnology may provide a low-energy, environmentally benign and highly selective pathway for the synthesis of fine-chemicals and drugs, which is an unexplored avenue in current Biotechnology. In this studentship we aim to explore the possibilities of halogenases and haloperoxidases for drug synthesis. In particular, research will be focused on the vanadium haloperoxidases using a unique multidisciplinary approach ranging from structural characterization, spectroscopy, kinetics and electrochemistry to computational modelling. The work is likely to give valuable insight into how these enzymes are able to catalyse an energetically challenging reaction at room temperature and will open pathways for successful implementation in an Industrial setting. Bioengineering of vanadium haloperoxidases may lead to the development of novel structures for the biosynthesis of halogen containing molecules as drug targets and fine-chemicals and provide a new avenue for efficient drug synthesis in an approach that links Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry.