The Special Programme in Science is immensely proud to celebrate Batch 23 students Cally Kai Li Ang, Woh Jon Lai, and Heidi Lek Khai Shuen! Their work as part of their SPS 3172 project has culminated in a co-authored publication in ACS Catalysis, a leading Q1 journal in catalysis and biocatalysis. Carried out under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Brandon I. Morinaka and his lab in the NUS Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, their work contributed to tackling a major challenge in enzymology: rationally re-engineering a selective radical SAM enzyme, HtkB, to accept new, non-native substrates.
To bypass the wild-type enzyme’s strict selectivity, the research team used structural modelling to identify a key electrostatic interaction between the enzyme and a single side chain on its substrate, which appeared to lock out non-native substrates. By mutating this key residue on HtkB, the team successfully engineered variants capable of cyclizing several previously incompatible substrates, including the first characterized histidine-to-aliphatic crosslink.
Having undergraduate work feature in a high-impact journal like ACS Catalysis is a fantastic milestone. As integral members of the research team during this extensive study, Cally, Woh Jon, and Heidi’s hands-on contributions reflect the exact mission of SPS 3172: providing undergrads with early access to authentic, high-level research alongside world-class mentors.
Here is what the team had to say about their research journey:
Cally: “Research can be frustrating, but keep going and don’t be afraid to seek help (from your SPS mentors, lab mentors, or PI) when needed. Trust in the process!”
Heidi: “Research isn’t easy, but with the right people, the journey is much smoother.”
Woh Jon: “Life is like a macrocycle—we need to be sturdy and hold our form under pressure, yet be willing to form bonds with others.”
We are incredibly grateful to Asst Prof Brandon Morinaka and his team for guiding our students through a project of this calibre, and we celebrate our students for stepping up to the challenge!
