Marco Fraaije

Molecular Enzymology group, University of Groningen

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INPEC node since 2020

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My research has focuses on discovery, engineering and exploration of novel redox enzymes. These enzymes represent a relatively unexplored and attractive group of biocatalysts, as they are able to catalyze a huge variety of oxidation and reduction reactions while exhibiting a remarkable selectivity. Besides exploring the biotechnological potential of these biocatalysts, I also aim at a thorough understanding of these oxidative enzymes. Special focus is on enzymes that contain a flavin cofactor. Enzymes that use such organic cofactor have been shown to be incredibly flexible in catalytic properties. In fact, they fulfil numerous crucial roles in biology, including light sensing, electron transfer, oxidations, reductions, and halogenations. Detailed studies on some prototype flavoenzymes have generated new details and insights that could be used to engineer enzymes with new features such as higher stability, altered cofactor reactivity, and reversed enantioselectivity.

 

Keywords: redox enzymes; enzyme fusions; cofactors; flavin; heme; monooxygenases; oxidases; reductases; biocatalysis