Chemical Biology Supergroup: Debasis Das
About this Event
Zoom Webinar
Speaker: Debasis Das (Indian Institute of Science)
Talk Title: Harnessing Enzymatic Power for Bioenergy and Therapeutics
Description: Enzymes are nature's most efficient catalysts, capable of driving complex chemical transformations with remarkable speed and selectivity. Understanding how these biological catalysts function not only deepens our knowledge of fundamental biochemistry but also enables innovative solutions for challenges in sustainable manufacturing and human health. In this seminar, I will present our efforts to discover and engineer microbial enzymes for two distinct yet impactful applications: renewable hydrocarbon production and the treatment of biofilm-associated infections.
The first part focuses on UndB, a membrane-bound enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of fatty acids into terminal 1-alkenes─valuable platform chemicals widely used in the production of polymers, lubricants, and detergents. Although UndB was discovered nearly a decade ago, its catalytic mechanism has remained largely elusive. Our studies establish that UndB is a diiron enzyme with a conserved histidine-coordinated active site and demonstrate that catalysis requires molecular oxygen together with electron-transfer partners. These mechanistic insights have guided the engineering of an efficient whole-cell biocatalyst capable of converting naturally abundant free fatty acids into medium-chain 1-alkenes with conversion efficiencies of up to 95%.
The second part highlights the discovery of microbial enzymes that target the extracellular matrix of bacterial biofilms, offering a promising strategy to combat antimicrobial-resistant infections. We identified an orphan enzyme from the cow rumen microbiome that rapidly disperses mature biofilms formed by clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae at low micromolar concentrations, thereby enhancing antibiotic susceptibility and promoting immune-mediated clearance in a murine wound infection model. We further discovered CRhAB, a biofilm-matrix-degrading enzyme that selectively targets Acinetobacter baumannii. Immobilization of CRhAB onto clinical-grade gauze generated a bioactive wound dressing that effectively prevented bacterial colonization and significantly accelerated wound healing in vivo.
Together, these studies demonstrate how mechanistic understanding and engineering of microbial enzymes can drive transformative advances in both sustainable biocatalysis and next-generation antimicrobial therapies.
#science #talks
Talk Title: Harnessing Enzymatic Power for Bioenergy and Therapeutics
Description: Enzymes are nature's most efficient catalysts, capable of driving complex chemical transformations with remarkable speed and selectivity. Understanding how these biological catalysts function not only deepens our knowledge of fundamental biochemistry but also enables innovative solutions for challenges in sustainable manufacturing and human health. In this seminar, I will present our efforts to discover and engineer microbial enzymes for two distinct yet impactful applications: renewable hydrocarbon production and the treatment of biofilm-associated infections.
The first part focuses on UndB, a membrane-bound enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of fatty acids into terminal 1-alkenes─valuable platform chemicals widely used in the production of polymers, lubricants, and detergents. Although UndB was discovered nearly a decade ago, its catalytic mechanism has remained largely elusive. Our studies establish that UndB is a diiron enzyme with a conserved histidine-coordinated active site and demonstrate that catalysis requires molecular oxygen together with electron-transfer partners. These mechanistic insights have guided the engineering of an efficient whole-cell biocatalyst capable of converting naturally abundant free fatty acids into medium-chain 1-alkenes with conversion efficiencies of up to 95%.
The second part highlights the discovery of microbial enzymes that target the extracellular matrix of bacterial biofilms, offering a promising strategy to combat antimicrobial-resistant infections. We identified an orphan enzyme from the cow rumen microbiome that rapidly disperses mature biofilms formed by clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae at low micromolar concentrations, thereby enhancing antibiotic susceptibility and promoting immune-mediated clearance in a murine wound infection model. We further discovered CRhAB, a biofilm-matrix-degrading enzyme that selectively targets Acinetobacter baumannii. Immobilization of CRhAB onto clinical-grade gauze generated a bioactive wound dressing that effectively prevented bacterial colonization and significantly accelerated wound healing in vivo.
Together, these studies demonstrate how mechanistic understanding and engineering of microbial enzymes can drive transformative advances in both sustainable biocatalysis and next-generation antimicrobial therapies.
#science #talks