Example 1: An initial excursion into mammalian biosynthesis of nitrite and nitrate and the role that these anions might play in the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines, led to the discovery of nitric oxide as an endogenous metabolite. Two majors functions for NO emerged: as an immune system killing agent and as a signaling molecule controlling important physiological processes such as vasodilation. The enzymology of NO synthesis uncovered complex redox chemistry and a molecular understanding of signaling led back to bacteria for a solution to the question of selective sensing. Viagra® and Riociguat® have emerged as important therapeutics from studies of NO signaling. Example 2: The high cost of enzymes for saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass is a significant impediment to the production of 2nd generation biofuels. However, fungi like Neurospora crassa efficiently degrade biomass in the wild. Using a combination of genetic and biochemical techniques fungal-derived, copper-dependent polysaccharide monooxygenases (PMO), formerly known as GH61 proteins, were discovered and shown to catalyze the O2 dependent oxidative cleavage of recalcitrant polysaccharides. Starch-active PMOs have now been identified as well as predicted PMOs in bacterial and plant pathogens.

Award Address (Alfred Bader Award in Bioinorganic or Bioorganic Chemistry sponsored by the Alfred R. Bader Fund). At the interface between chemistry and biology: Two examples

249th National Meeting (2015)

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