Biochemistry: Structural & functional genomics, cofactor and natural product biosynthesis, mechanistic enzymology
Our laboratory utilizes a combination of bioinformatic, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to identify and characterize novel biosynthetic pathways, secondary metabolites, and biocatalysts. The systems under study in our laboratory are chosen for both their biological importance and their potential for employing unusual and interesting enzyme chemistry. Below is an overview of several research projects in our laboratory that are focused on tetrapyrrole biosynthesis. Tetrapyrroles, the ‘pigments of life’, are an important class of biomolecules that function as coenzymes and prosthetic groups. As such, they play essential roles in several fundamental biological processes, such as oxygen and electron transport (heme), photosynthesis (chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll), methanogenesis (coenzyme F430), nitrite (heme d1) and sulfite