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AUFBRUCH - Halogenases as tool for the synthesis of natural and active substances

The Rhineland mining area is known for its lignite deposits and opencast mining. In view of the energy and resource turnaround in North Rhine-Westphalia, there is currently an opportunity to restructure the region and establish sustainable economic sectors. The aim is to preserve the region's economic potential and strengthen its competitiveness.

The AUFBRUCH graduate cluster has set itself the goal of actively shaping the transformation of the Rhineland mining area towards a bioeconomic future. Our contribution within the cluster focuses on the utilization of halogenases as selective synthesis tools. These biocatalysts are being investigated with regard to their potential use in autonomous production plants.

Halogen substituents are widely used and can be found in pharmaceuticals, for example. Traditionally, these substituents are inserted chemically, but this is very energy-intensive and requires the use of toxic chemicals. Our project aims to investigate an enzyme library of (tryptophan) halogenases to create a more environmentally friendly alternative. By optimizing enzyme-catalyzed reactions, we want to facilitate the synthesis of industrially interesting compounds or certain precursors and make it more sustainable.

 

 

The AUFBRUCH graduate cluster aims to drive forward the transformation of the Rhineland mining region through interdisciplinary cooperation between 37 doctoral students from different departments. Seven academic locations are contributing to this project: RWTH Aachen, FH Aachen, TU Dortmund, HHU Düsseldorf, TH Köln, FZ Jülich and HS Niederrhein. The departments of biotechnology, chemistry, process engineering, logistics, economics and social sciences as well as spatial planning are coordinated by the Center for Molecular Transformations at RWTH Aachen University and the Industrial Biotechnology Cluster.

 

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