Biocatalysis for Antiviral Synthesis

Our group discovered a fungal iron-sulfur (Fe-S) enzyme producing broad-spectrum antiviral nucleotide analogues and showed that homologue of the enzyme are present throughout evolution. Because discovering and identifying the highly oxygen-sensitive Fe-S enzyme is challenging, we developed a new in-cell screening assay named VITAS (Viral polymerase-Inhibition Toxin-Associated Selection).

 

We are using this assay and mine into the repository of enzymes and we are engineering existing enzyme to develop new biocatalytic routes for antiviral therapy. To achieve the objectives of our project we are using a range of techniques including molecular biology and biochemical assays, UV-visible spectrophotometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), advanced spectroscopic techniques such as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and computation biochemistry. Our major collaborators include Prof Maria Andrea Mroginski (TU Berlin) and Prof Mark Sutton (UKHSA). ​

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