Enzymes at work: a cryo-EM approach to glucan synthesis and functionalization (including SOS service).

This project is focused on the study of the enzyme dynamics of glucan polymerases and glucan modifying enzymes with the aim to understand the enzyme
conformational changes occurring during the catalysis, to characterize the enzyme/polysaccharide interfaces and to identify their role into the reaction. To
achieve this, different techniques such as cryo-EM, crystallography and SAXS will be employed and integrated with biophysical techniques (ITC, MST, etc…),
computational predictions (AlphaFold2) and molecular dynamics. This innovative project aims to produce high resolution structures of biotechnologically important
enzymes in complex with their substrates, products and also during the catalytic reaction. The generated knowledge will then be used to guide the remodeling of
enzymes their use for the synthesis of novel biopolymers with applications in the fields of health, nutrition, biomaterials and environment.