Mapping C-C nucleoside bond formation in real time

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We have set out to study an important new enzyme which makes a bond between two carbon atoms. The making of carbon carbon bonds is both the chemistry of life at its most basic and it is the central pillar of enzymatic chemistry. Being able to use an enzyme to make this bond, will make it possible to make new drugs. We have targeted so called C-nucleosides. These molecules trick bacteria and viruses into using them instead of the natural N-nucleosides. As a result of using these molecules, viruses and bacteria are killed. The carbon carbon bond is absolutely key to these molecules, it prevents the bacteria and virus from degrading the compound. These C-nucleosides are used by nature but they are hard to make, hence the need for new ways such as enzymes to make them. The system we are studying is also appealing because we can use it to study the grand challenge of watching chemistry in real time. Chemist occurs in around 1 billionth of second, far to fast for most techniques to see but the new X-ray free electron laser finishes experiments in around 1 trillionth of second, allowing us to see for the first time an enzyme catalysed chemical reaction. This ground breaking experiment will require a lot of preparation and new technologies which the grant will develop. Being able to see in real time a chemical reaction is a grand challenge of chemistry, biochemistry and biology. It will change how we think and what we know.