Professor Andrew Munro Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester
Tuesday 13th October, 1.00 p.m., Keynes Lecture Theatre 6
Cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) are prodigious catalysts of oxygen insertion reactions and are widespread in organisms from archaea through to man. Across nature, the substrate range for P450s is enormous – from molecules as small as ethane and nitric oxide through to bulky steroids and natural products. Their versatility is also evident from protein engineering studies that have demonstrated radical realignments of P450 substrate selectivity using both rational and random mutagenesis approaches. This seminar will describe the structural and biochemical properties of selected biotechnologically important microbial cytochrome P450 enzymes, and their engineering and applications in the synthesis of important pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.