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Research project

The enzymology of thiamine biosynthesis

Project overview

This project aims to understand how E. coli assembles the cyclic thiazole portion of thiamine from acyclic precursors, 1- deoxyxylulose, cysteine and tyrosine. A novel radical dependent mechanism for the cyclisation leading to the thiazole is proposed. To test this hypothesis, the key biosynthetic enzymes required for thiazole formation and the reactions that they catalyse will be investigated. An in vitro assay for thiamine biosynthesis will be used to identify the essential substrates, cofactors and proteins. A combination of biochemical and spectroscopic approaches will be used to determine the mechanism of the sulphur insertion and the cyclisation steps leading to the thiazole.

Staff

Lead researchers

Professor Peter Birkin

Professor
Research interests
  • My work has centred on the phenomena of cavitation; this is both a fascinating and experiment…
Connect with Peter

Email: prb2@soton.ac.uk

Other researchers

Professor Phillip Joseph

Professor of Engineering Acoustics
Research interests
  • Broadband fan noise
  • Shallow water acoustics
  • Active noise control
Connect with Phillip

Email: pfj@isvr.soton.ac.uk

Research outputs

2009, FEBS Letters, 583(8), 1358-1362
DOI:
Type: article
2007, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 46(48), 9223-9226
DOI:
Type: article
2007, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 282(24), 17413-17423
DOI:
Type: article