Feruloyl esterases for biosynthesis in confined media

Feruloyl esterases (FAEs) is a heterogeneous group of enzymes that hydrolyze ester bonds in plant cell wall materials. The hydrolysis results in that ferulic acid and other hydroxycinnamic acids are released. These acids have been found to have antioxidant and antitumor properties. It has also been shown that FAEs can catalyze the reverse reaction (synthesizing ester bonds) if the enzymes are immobilized or located in organic microemulsions. This allows for stereospecific esterification/transesterification modifications of hydroxy-cinnamic acids and customization of their solubility. Other enzymes (e.g. lipases) with similar biocatalytic properties have successfully been immobilized into confined media such as mesoporous materials.This project aims to explore the possibilities of using FAEs in mesoporous materials for biosynthesis applications. The aim is to characterize the immobilized enzymes and link the enzymatic activity with the properties (e.g. pore size and type of material) of the mesoporous material. Furthermore, reusability and stability will be studied, as well as examining possible surface modifications of the mesoporous material and how the enzymes are localized inside the pores