Andrew Stine, a PhD candidate in Broadbelt's Lab will present a seminar on Utilization of Enzymatic Reaction Rules to Predict and Analyze Biochemical Pathways.
Abstract:
The discovery of new enzymes and new enzymatic activity is an essential but challenging area of research in a wide variety of biological applications ranging from healthcare to industrial biotechnology. The Broadbelt lab has developed a program known as the Biochemical Network Integrated Computational Explorer (BNICE) to assist such research by utilizing generalized reaction rules to computationally predict probable enzymatic activity. In this work I will discuss the application of BNICE to two different research projects. In the first, BNICE was utilized to explore potential enzymatic pathways for the production of a commercially valuable chemical which is currently derived from petroleum. Our research identified a key reaction in these pathways which was subsequently experimentally confirmed to be catalyzed by an enzyme. This activity of the enzyme was previously unknown. In the second application, BNICE was utilized to study the biosynthesis of coenzyme Q, a key component of the electron transport chain present in most eukaryotic cells. Coenzyme Q is thought to be produced from the amino acid tyrosine in higher mammals but the specific pathway is unknown. We utilized BNICE to predict several potential biosynthesis pathways. We further developed a procedure for identifying genes which may be associated with the predicted reactions. Correlating these predictions with experimentally identified potential gene candidates will allow for the rapid identification of a probable biosynthetic pathway.
Date & Time: Thursday, January 22nd, 9:00 am -10:00 am
Location: Pancoe Pavillion, Abbott Auditorium
*Refreshments will be available at 8:45 am
Iman Nasser
(847) 491-2773
Email