Engineering oxygen-sensitive enzymes that break down hydrocarbons
Investigation and application of hydrocarbon-degrading enzymes using cryo-electron microscopy and directed evolution
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11143168
This project develops and improves oxygen-sensitive enzymes that help microbes break down hydrocarbons and looks for links to heart and other human diseases.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (EAST LANSING, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11143168 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From my perspective, the team studies special enzymes used by gut and environmental microbes that can perform tricky chemistry but only work without oxygen. They take ultra-detailed pictures of these enzymes with cryo-electron microscopy and change the enzymes using directed evolution to make them more stable or active. The focus is on X-succinate synthases, enzymes that start hydrocarbon breakdown and are tied to both pollution cleanup and microbial effects that have been linked to heart, liver, and kidney problems. The work aims to clarify how these microbial enzymes might influence human health and to develop enzyme-based tools for bioremediation or preventing corrosion.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with heart, liver, or kidney conditions who are interested in microbiome-related research or who might donate samples for related studies would be the most relevant patient group.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments or those without conditions linked to microbial enzyme activity are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify microbial roles in organ diseases and lead to engineered enzymes for environmental cleanup or new targets for preventing microbe-related tissue damage.
How similar studies have performed: Structural studies of glycyl radical enzymes and enzyme engineering by directed evolution have succeeded in related cases, but combining cryo-EM with directed evolution for X-succinate synthases is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
EAST LANSING, UNITED STATES
- MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY — EAST LANSING, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ANDORFER, MARY CATHERINE — MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: ANDORFER, MARY CATHERINE
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Cardiac Diseases, Cardiac Disorders