© Universität Bielefeld
Research
New catalytic reactions by directed enzyme evolution
Our research group combines methods from organic chemistry, protein biochemistry and directed evolution to design, apply and understand new enzyme function. Completely new catalytic reactions can be envisioned in enzymes, because their macromolecular structure enables a very high level of molecular recognition to control catalytic cycles. Reaction discovery and development in enzyme active sites benefit from the ability to precisely bind substrates in defined conformations, to guide competing reactions pathways and to control highly reactive intermediates such as carbocations and radicals.
We aim to develop a new class of catalysts for synthetic organic chemistry that is protein-based, fully genetically encoded and catalyzes fundamental C-C, C-N and C-O bond formations that do not have a good catalytic solution. These new enzymes will potentially be applied in organic synthesis, increase our understanding in enzymology and can expand the metabolism in living organisms.
Selected Publications
Chiral alcohols from alkenes and water: Directed evolution of a styrene hydratase
Gajdoš M, Wagner J, Ospina F, Köhler A, Engqvist MKM, Hammer SC
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202215093.
Engineered P450 enables direct aryl alkene to ketone oxidation by accessing highly reactive carbocation intermediates
Gergel S, Soler J, Klein A, Schülke KH, Hauer B, Garcia-Borràs M, Hammer SC
ChemRxiv, 2022.
Selective biocatalytic N-methylation of unsaturated heterocycles
Ospina F, Schülke KH, Soler J, Klein A, Prosenc B, Garcia-Borràs M, Hammer SC
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202213056.
Selected as VIP paper by Angewandte Chemie.
Highlighted by B. List and M. Turberg in Synfacts 2023, 19, 0080.
Enzymatic control over reactive intermediates enables direct oxidation of alkenes to carbonyls by a P450 iron-oxo species
Soler J, Gergel S, Klaus C, Hammer SC, Garcia-Borràs M
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 15954-15968.
New catalytic reactions by enzyme engineering
Klaus C, Hammer SC
Trends in Chemistry 2022, 4, 363-366.
Invited contribution to a focus issue on "Protein Engineering and Chemoenzymatic Synthesis".
Substrate profiling of anion methyltransferases for promiscuous synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine analogs from haloalkanes
Schülke KH, Ospina F, Hörnschemeyer K, Gergel S, Hammer SC
ChemBioChem, 2022, 23, e202100632.
Selected as VIP paper by ChemBioChem.
Highlighted in the ChemBioTalents 2022/23 collection.
Biocatalytic alkylation chemistry: Building molecular complexity with high selectivity
Ospina F, Schülke KH, Hammer SC
ChemPlusChem 2022, 87, e202100454.
Selected as VIP paper by ChemPlusChem.
Engineered enzymes enable selective N‐alkylation of pyrazoles with simple haloalkanes
Bengel LL, Aberle B, Egler-Kemmerer AN, Kienzle S, Hauer B, Hammer SC
Angew Chem Int Ed, 2021, 60, 5554-5560.
Selected as VIP paper by Angewandte Chemie.
Highlighted by B. List and J.L. Kennemur in Synfacts 2021, 17, 0322.
Anti-Markovnikov alkene oxidation by metal-oxo–mediated enzyme catalysis
Hammer SC, Kubik G, Watkins E, Huang S, Minges H, Arnold FH
Science 2017, 358, 215-218.
Highlighted by S. Bormann in C&EN.
Highlighted by B. List and G.A. Shevchenko in Synfacts 2018, 14, 0083.
Highlighted by ACS in Chemistry Research of the year 2017.
Design and evolution of enzymes for non-natural chemistry
Hammer SC, Knight AM, Arnold FH
Curr. Opin. Green Sustain. Chem. 2017, 7, 23-30.
Team
Jun.-Prof. for Organic Chemistry and Biocatalysis & Emmy Noether Research Group Leader (New Catalytic Reactions by Directed Enzyme Evolution).
Chemical Laboratory Assistant
Alina is our Bielefeld local and manages our lab. She joined the group after successfully completing her training as chemical laboratory assistant at Bielefeld University.
PhD Student
Lucas is French and he studied organic chemistry in Marseille (France) and Trondheim (Norway). Lucas worked with Dr. Hervé Clavier and completed his master thesis with Prof. Elisabeth Jacobsen.
PhD Student
Matúš is from Bratislava (Slovakia) and studied biotechnology in Bratislava and Graz. Matúš joined our group after his master thesis with Prof. Robert Kourist.
PhD Student
Shubhanshu is from Madhya Pradesh (India) and studied chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Shubhanshu joined our group after his master thesis with Prof. Debabrata Maiti.
PhD Student
Cindy is from Switzerland where she studied chemical biology at ETH Zürich. Cindy joined us after her master thesis with Prof. Donald Hilvert.
Vanessa Reitz
PhD Student
Vanessa studied biology and biochemistry at the Philipps University of Marburg (Germany) and joined us after her master thesis with Dr. Johannes Rebelein at the Max Planck Institute of Terrestrial Microbiology.
PhD Student
Felipe comes from Colombia and is a chemist by training. Before joining our group, Felipe worked as lecturer and research assistant with Prof. Felipe Otálvaro at Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín.
PhD Student
Kai is from southern Germany, studied technical biochemistry at Stuttgart University and already made an internship in industry (Roche Biocatalysis). He joined us with a DBU PhD scholarship.
