Artificial cofactors: a marriage of homogeneous catalysis with enzymology

PhD ceremony: Mr. J. Jin, 14.45 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Thesis: Artificial cofactors: a marriage of homogeneous catalysis with enzymology

Promotor(s): prof. D. B. Janssen, prof. M.W. Fraaije

Faculty: Mathematics and Natural Sciences

In the evolution of enzymes, cofactors have been incorporated into enzymes to provide diverse activities. The introduction of artificial cofactors, which can alter the activity and selectivity of enzymes, can now greatly expand the repertoire of reactions of enzymes. This thesis describes the preparation and characterization of two artificial metalloproteins based on papain and penicillin G acylase (PA) that catalyze hydrogenation reactions (chapter 2 and 3). In chapter 4 and 5, the reconstitution of two flavoenzymes, eugenol oxidase (EUGO) and vanillyl alcohol oxidase (VAO), has been investigated to help understanding the process of covalent incorporation of FAD into flavoenzymes, which we consider important for designing artificial flavins and their introduction into apo flavoenzymes.