The research in the Unit of Chemistry and Biocatalysis focuses on the design and synthesis of new chemical entities (mainly nucleos(t)ide analogues and related heterocyclic compounds) targeting enzymes from nucleoside metabolism, and the characterization of unexplored protein targets. The unit also manages the CBC activity (Group H. Munier-Lehmann).
The unit is currently developing modified nucleos(t)ides as substrate mimics to provide insight into enzyme substrate recognition, as well as libraries of functionalized heterocycles useful for the fragment based approach. Novel enzymatic routes (transglycosylation, deamination, phosphorylation) as an alternative to chemical approaches are also considered. Synthesized molecules find applications in the identification of inhibitors of essential bacterial enzymes (TMPK from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, NAD kinases from Gram-positive bacteria), the characterisation of a previously undescribed mammalian nucleotide N– hydrolase involved in cell proliferation (DNPH1). In addition, the new chemical entities implement the in house chemical libraries.
The Chemistry and Biocatalysis Unit is associated with the CNRS (UMR3523)
