Biocatalytic Approaches for the Synthesis of Bioactive Molecules

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Recent studies indicate that contributions to the development of functional ingredients and nutraceuticals can help support and improve the overall public health, which is timely given the aging of the population and the increasing cost of health care. Considering that the functional products represent an emerging market segment, innovations in this field will assist the agri-food sector, which is the second largest industry in Canada, in maintaining its position in an increasingly competitive marketplace. In this context, the long-term objective of the proposed research program focuses on developing innovative biocatalytic approaches toward the synthesis of bioactive molecules with potential applications in the food industry and for healthcare. Currently, this research program is directed toward investigating the development of innovative enzymatic glycosylation approaches and advancing the understanding of the mechanisms by which the glycosyl-transferases function for the high-yield synthesis of tailor made oligo/polysaccharides, with a particular focus, in the short term, on the synthesis of novel ß-(2-6)-homo and heterofructooligosaccharides (FOSs) and levans. Progress in the understanding of the health attributes of these bioactive molecules, whose potential benefits in terms of supporting intestinal health and reducing the risk of cancers are increasingly being recognized, has given rise to a need for efficient synthetic routes. Levansucrase (LS)-catalyzed transfructoslyation reaction has been proven by my group and others to be a potential route to a variety of homo/hetero FOSs and β-(2-6)-levans. To date, however, this route has remained untapped at the industrial level and even on the preparative scale. Further research is needed to overcome the challenges and the limitations of this approach. To address this, the short-term objectives of the proposed research program consist of a linked approach to: (1) discover LSs with better catalytic properties through the exploration of bacterial biodiversity and study their properties; (2) develop innovative approaches to improve and modulate LS properties at the molecular level that can better suit specific applications; (3) understand and exploit synergism between LSs/other biocatalysts to develop multi-enzymatic systems. The knowledge base emerging from this program will contribute to the advancement of the field of carbohydrate synthesis. In particular, the understanding of the complex kinetics involved in the levansucrase-catalyzed transfructosylation will provide the basis for a better application of this glycosylation strategy. This research program will also contribute to the development of productive multi-enzymatic systems of great potential for industrial applications. As a research training program, many highly qualified personnel will be trained over the five years in this emerging field.**