NOM DE LA COMPOSANTE

Ecole Doctorale des Sciences Fondamentales
Subject: Discovery and exploration of new aldolases from biodiversity
Supervisors: Marielle Lemaire and Christine Guérard-Hélaine
Laboratory: ICCF; University: Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
For more informations and to send your CV: [email protected] ; 33 (0)4 73 40 71 28
The candidate must apply to the Doctoral School before end of May; File to download on http://edsf.univbpclermont.fr/article41.html
Doctoral School’s selection criteria: application file and CV (good to high scores required) ; then 15 min for an oral
presentation in June (Skype or other is possible).
Financial support: French Ministry of Education and Research (see on doctoral school web site) secured for three
years and this proposal is a priority topic at ICCF.
Candidate profile : organic chemist, knowledges in enzymology and/or biocatalysis would be appreciated.
Summary :
In the field of green chemistry, isolated enzymes are well-established as useful tools for the
development of new processes in organic synthesis. Biocatalysts facilitate the stereo-, regio- and
enantioselectively production of a large variety of organic compounds in exceptionally soft and mild
conditions. The discovery and study of new enzymes is an international major aim in order to
widen the chemist’s toolbox for applications in sustainable organic synthesis. Our research group
is particularly focused on aldolases, enzymes catalyzing stereoselectively C-C bond formation. The
main objective of this project is to explore new aldolases, discovered by high throughput
screening and isolated from the biodiversity. These biocatalysts were screened for original
catalytic activities as exemplified in the scheme below. By structure modulation of the
electrophiles and nucleophiles, non-natural substrate specificity will be fully studied for best hits.
The stereochemistry of the new aldols will have to be determined by running small scale syntheses
and classical analytical studies.
This innovating multi-disciplinary project (chemistry and biology interface) has been established
in partnership with the CEA-Génoscope (Evry), a well-established lab at international level.
Skills targeted:
Biocatalysis (enzyme production and
purification, mutant construction (PCR)
and
enzymatic
reaction
implementation), analysis (HPLC, UV
spectroscopy),
classical
organic
synthesis and purifications (silica gel or
ion exchange chromatography), NMR,
Mass analysis.
1) C. Guérard-Hélaine, V. de Berardinis, M. Besnard-Gonnet, E. Darii, M. Debacker, A. Debard, C. Fernandes, V.
Hélaine, A. Mariage, V. Pellouin, A. Perret, J.-L. Petit, M. Sancelme, M. Lemaire, Marcel Salanoubat
ChemCatChem 2015, 7, 1871-1879. 2) C. Guérard-Hélaine, M. Debacker, P. Clapés, A. Szekrenyi, V. Hélaine and
M. Lemaire Green Chem. 2014, 16, 1109-1113. 3) I. Sánchez-Moreno, V. Hélaine, N. Poupart, F. Charmantray,
B. Légeret, L. Hecquet, E. García-Junceda, R. Wohlgemuth, C. Guérard-Hélaine and M. Lemaire Adv. Synth.
Catal., 2012, 354, 1725-1730. 4) X. Garrabou, J. A. Castillo, C. Guérard-Hélaine, T. Parella, J.Joglar, M.
Lemaire and P. Clapés, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 5521-5525.
Ecole Doctorale Sciences Fondamentales – 24, avenue des Landais – BP 80026 - 63171 AUBIERE CEDEX
CHIMIE – MATHEMATIQUES – PHYSIQUE – SCIENCES DE L’UNIVERS
site web : http://edsf.univ-bpclermont.fr
Directeur : Pr Patrice Malfreyt
tél. 04.73.40.72.04
E-mail : [email protected]
Secrétariat : Suzanne Hernandez
tél. 04.73.40.53.76
E-mail : [email protected]