PhD defence Laura Bothof

Expanding the biocatalytic toolbox of C-N lyases

Rational Engineering and Enzyme Discovery

With the growing demand for nonhazardous and sustainable alternatives for chemical catalysis, interest in biocatalysts has grown significantly over the past decades. The enzyme ethylenediamine-N,N’-succinic acid (EDDS) lyase from Chelativorans sp. BNC1 is a promising candidate, particularly due to its exceptionally broad substrate scope. This dissertation developed and applied parallel strategies—including biochemical characterization, semi-rational engineering, and homology-based enzyme discovery—to explore new C-N lyase activities. In this way, the biocatalytic toolbox was expanded for the synthesis of a wide range of optically pure N-functionalized amino acids.