Enzymatic Synthesis Technology

The research group focuses on enzyme-catalyzed synthesis reactions, primarily transglycosylation. To this end, we utilize a number of approaches and research methods:

• Enzyme discovery, primarily in silico-based using a number of bioinformatics tools
• Computational modelling of enzymes to understand the structure-function relationships that direct their specificity, regioselectivity, and transglycosylation capacity
• Enzyme expression in Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris
• Enzyme characterization, including assay development and carbohydrate analysis using spectrophotometry, HPAEC-PAD and LC-MS
• Protein engineering to improve transglycosylation and enzyme performance
• Reaction optimization to increase synthesis yields

A majority of the research focus on synthesis of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and related carbohydrate structures.

One of the current research projects is a collaboration with industry, where we chase a technological and scientific breakthrough enabling us to produce HMO structures currently unobtainable outside human milk and understand how humans naturally make and consume HMOs. Another current research project concerns computational studies of the structure-function relationships governing transglycosylation, and is a collaboration with international academic partners.