Research

CPC Biotech is deeply involved in the search of novel enzymes with high potential in the field of diagnostics, biotransformations and biosensor devices.

Most recent findings are related to the discovery of a novel family of chimeric heme-based monoxygenases from streptomyces species that represent a promising tool for oxidative biotransformation of complex polyketide/polyphenolic molecules (A).

An active research is also being carried out on the vast family of BetV1-like proteins from plants. These proteins, whose functional annotation is still uncertain, turns out to be a huge reservoir of novel enzymatic activities with high potential impact in asymmetric synthesis. The enzyme S-norcoclaurine synthase, catalyzing the first step in pathway of chiral benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, has been fully characterized from the structural and functional point of view (B).

CPC Biotech is currently developing novel engineered thermostable expression tags, especially designed for soluble proteins expression improvement, facilitating downstream processing.

1. Pubblication 1 Gene (2007), 398, 52-61
2. Pubblication 2 J. Biol. Chem (2009) Jan 9;284(2):897-904