"IEEE YP-WiE Talk Series" talk 4 by "Dr. Seema Irani, Senior Scientist, Merck Sharp & Dohme"
We are pleased to invite you all to "IEEE YP - WiE Talk Series" organized by the IEEE Women in Engineering Affinity Group and IEEE Young Professionals Affinity Group of IEEE Kharagpur Section.
Title: “Crystal structures of enzymes in the biosynthesis pathway of an important natural product guides mechanistic understanding and enzyme engineering efforts”
Speaker: Dr. Seema Irani, Senior Scientist, Merck Sharp & Dohme
Date: 8 November 2024
Time: 5:30 am to 6:30 pm (IST).
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- Date: 08 Nov 2024
- Time: 05:15 PM to 06:45 PM
- All times are (UTC+05:30) Chennai
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Speakers
Dr. Seema Irani of Merck Sharp & Dohme
Crystal structures of enzymes in the biosynthesis pathway of an important natural product guides mechanistic understandi
Abstract of the talk:
Ergothioneine, an important natural product of some bacteria and fungi exhibits strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Owing to its vast physiological benefits, ergothioneine is incorporated into dietary supplements and cosmetics. Its biosynthetic pathway is being harnessed for fermentative production strategies, with constant efforts to increase yields. In this work we used protein X-ray crystallography to obtain high-resolution structures of enzymes EgtBCth and Egt2 that catalyze the unique sulfur incorporation in the ergothioneine biosynthesis pathway. This structural information guides engineering efforts to modulate the substrate selectivity of EgtBCth and helps delineate the reaction mechanism for Egt2; providing important insights from both a basic scientific and engineering perspective.
This work was carried out during my doctoral studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and is not associated in any way to my current affiliation
Biography:
Seema was born and brought-up in Mumbai, India, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai in 2013. Inspired by the selectivity and efficiency of nature’s catalysts, enzymes, she pursued her Ph.D. at the University of Texas, Austin, understanding the structure and function of enzymes involved in biological regulation and important biosynthetic pathways. To extend her knowledge to a more translatable context, she went on to carry out postdoctoral studies at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, deciphering how mutations of the estrogen receptor observed in breast cancer patients alter its biological function. Seema currently works as Senior Scientist at Merck Sharp & Dohme. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with her family.