Investigation of class III and IV lanthipeptide processing enzymes, lanthipeptide tailoring enzymes and of lanthipeptides in epitope grafting

• Applicant: Dr. Julian Hegemann
• Subject Area: Biochemistry
• Term: from 2016 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 309199717

Lanthipeptides are an interesting and diverse class of natural products, about which still much is to discover. In context of this research project, different aspects of this research area will be tackled. Initially, the biosynthesis and enzymes of class III and IV lanthipeptides will be investigated, as these classes are so far the least thorough studied ones and hence there are still many question unanswered for these systems. Furthermore, it is planned to isolate novel putative lanthipeptide tailoring enzymes, which are assumed to introduce so far unseen chemical modifications into lanthipeptide structures. The final research aspect is at the same time the most application driven one. Here, it shall be tested if and how good lanthipeptide scaffolds can be utilized for epitope grafting approaches, i.e. the incorporation of small bioactive peptide epitopes into the sequence of a stable peptide scaffold. In summary, the goal of this project is thus to contribute to the research involved in the elucidation of the mechanism behind the biosynthesis of class III and IV lanthipeptides and of possible tailoring enzymes, as well as to probe, if this class of natural products is suitable as scaffold for drug development.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Wilfred A. van der Donk, Ph.D.