Press release: Controlling Chemical Reactions in Enzymes
No. 202 - 15.12.2025
Volkswagen Foundation Funds Joint Project Led by Göttingen with Nearly Two Million Euros
The Volkswagen Foundation is funding a new research project in Chemistry involving the University of Göttingen, the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPI-NAT) in Göttingen, and the University of Hamburg. Through its program "NEXT – Quantum Biology", the project receives almost two million euros over the next five years. The foundation aims to strengthen interdisciplinary teams who develop new methodological approaches, enabling experimental and theoretical approaches to study quantum effects in biological systems. The project addresses a fundamental question of science: How do enzymes, nature's highly efficient catalysts, achieve almost perfect precision and efficiency?
"Investigating how enzymes utilize electric fields to control chemical reactions rapidly, selectively, and under mild conditions was our goal", explains project spokesperson Professor Ricardo Mata from the University of Göttingen. While chemical synthetic processes often require extreme temperatures or pressures, enzymes work efficiently and sustainably in aqueous solutions at body temperature. The long-term goal of the project is to gain deep insights into enzyme-catalyzed reactions, supporting future developments in chemistry, materials science, and medicine.
By combining cutting-edge X-ray crystallography with advanced quantum-chemical models, the team seeks to bridge Structure Biology and Quantum Physics. Mata and Dr Marti Gimferrer (University of Göttingen) will develop new quantum-chemical models to describe electronic structures and properties. Meanwhile, Dr Anna Krawczuk (University of Göttingen), Dr Ashwin Chari (MPI-NAT), and Professor Arwen Pearson from the University of Hamburg are bringing state-of-the-art X-ray crystallography and time-resolved structural methods to the table.
Experimental and theoretical approaches are tightly coupled to map the role of local electric fields in enzymes precisely and visualize their function during reactions. "Through a novel combination of X-ray crystallography and quantum-chemical simulations, we aim to uncover how enzymes modulate the electronic structure of individual molecules", explains Mata. A central component is a new model for describing atomic charges. This, combined with high-resolution enzyme structures, will be used to characterize catalytically relevant states and the fine-tuned movements of electrons and protons. Furthermore, time-resolved experiments aim to capture the dynamics during the reaction progression. "By selectively using electric fields, enzymes could lead to new biocatalysts for sustainable chemistry or accelerate drug development", notes Chari.
Contact:
Professor Ricardo Mata
University of Göttingen
Faculty of Chemistry
Institute for Physical Chemistry
Tammannstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen
Phone: +49 551 39-23149
Email: mata@gwdg.de
Internet: www.cchembio.uni-goettingen.de