Biocatalysis is a key component for developing a sustainable bioeconomy, and enzymes are used as biocatalysts in various industries. Enzymes are sustainable, selective, and efficient, offering multiple benefits, such as cleaner reactions and increased specificity, with lower energy requirements. In recent years, we have successfully established a research program focused on investigating a variety of bacterial oxidoreductases. The target enzymes are laccases and metallo-oxidases from the family of multicopper oxidases, azoreductases, DyP-type peroxidases from a new microbial family of heme peroxidases, isoeugenol monooxygenases that convert a lignin-related phenolic, isoeugenol into vanillin, and more recently carbohydrate oxidases with importance in diagnosis and carbohydrate chemistry. We investigate their mechanistic and structural properties and use protein-engineering methodologies, including directed evolution and computational methods, to improve the enzyme’s performance and robustness. Additionally, we explore these enzymes’ efficiency in degrading synthetic and natural substrates and synthesizing added-value compounds using multidisciplinary approaches. The final goal is the design of biological systems for new functions, a fundamental tenet of synthetic biology, by exploring the catalytic properties of multiple and improved enzymes to produce industrially relevant compounds, contributing to the intelligent and circular use of natural resources.
O nosso laboratório investiga enzimas bacterianas com potencial para aplicações biotecnológicas, tanto em contextos ambientais quanto industriais. Para isso, utilizamos uma abordagem multidisciplinar que integra técnicas de Microbiologia, Biologia Molecular, Bioquímica e Biofísica.
Além de caracterizar estas enzimas, recorremos a técnicas de mutagénese para estudar o impacto da substituição de resíduos de aminoácidos específicos nas suas propriedades e para desenvolver variantes enzimáticas mais eficazes para aplicações biotecnológicas. Atualmente, estamos a otimizar estratégias de Evolução Dirigida, combinando mutagénese aleatória com rastreio enzimático, e também estratégias computacionais, para melhorar características como a estabilidade e a eficiência no uso de substratos não naturais. O objetivo final é desenvolver biocatalisadores mais robustos e otimizados para utilização industrial.
