Willem Berkel van

Prof. Willem Berkel van

Wageningen University & Research
+1
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

79Years (1948-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
1 August 2006 in Journal of Biotechnology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Willem Berkel vanWillem Berkel van
Willem Berkel van
NKN.M. Kamerbeek
N.M. Kamerbeek
MFM.W. Fraaije
M.W. Fraaije

1 February 2014 in Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
MHMieke M.E. Huijbers
Mieke M.E. Huijbers
SMStefania Montersino
Stefania Montersino
AWAdrie H. Westphal
Adrie H. Westphal
Dirk TischlerDirk Tischler
Dirk Tischler
Willem Berkel vanWillem Berkel van
Willem Berkel van

1 April 2007 in Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
VJVivi Joosten
Vivi Joosten
Willem Berkel vanWillem Berkel van
Willem Berkel van

1 November 2017 in Biotechnology Advances
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
Angel MartinezAngel Martinez
Angel Martinez
FRFrancisco Ruiz-Dueñas
Francisco Ruiz-Dueñas
SCSusana Camarero
Susana Camarero
ASAna Serrano
Ana Serrano
DLDolores Linde
Dolores Linde
MAMiguel Alcalde
Miguel Alcalde
Fungi produce heme-containing peroxidases and peroxygenases, flavin-containing oxidases and dehydrogenases, and different copper-containing oxidoreductases involved in the biodegradation of lignin and other recalcitrant compounds. Heme peroxidases comprise the classical ligninolytic peroxidases and the new dye-decolorizing peroxidases, while heme peroxygenases belong to a still largely unexplored superfamily of heme-thiolate proteins. Nevertheless, basidiomycete unspecific peroxygenases have the highest biotechnological interest due to their ability to catalyze a variety of regio- and stereo-selective monooxygenation reactions with H2O2 as the source of oxygen and final electron acceptor. Flavo-oxidases are involved in both lignin and cellulose decay generating H2O2 that activates peroxidases and generates hydroxyl radical. The group of copper oxidoreductases also includes other H2O2 generating enzymes - copper-radical oxidases - together with classical laccases that are the oxidoreductases with the largest number of reported applications to date. However, the recently described lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases have attracted the highest attention among copper oxidoreductases, since they are capable of oxidatively breaking down crystalline cellulose, the disintegration of which is still a major bottleneck in lignocellulose biorefineries, along with lignin degradation. Interestingly, some flavin-containing dehydrogenases also play a key role in cellulose breakdown by directly/indirectly "fueling" electrons for polysaccharide monooxygenase activation. Many of the above oxidoreductases have been engineered, combining rational and computational design with directed evolution, to attain the selectivity, catalytic efficiency and stability properties required for their industrial utilization. Indeed, using ad hoc software and current computational capabilities, it is now possible to predict substrate access to the active site in biophysical simulations, and electron transfer efficiency in biochemical simulations, reducing in orders of magnitude the time of experimental work in oxidoreductase screening and engineering. What has been set out above is illustrated by a series of remarkable oxyfunctionalization and oxidation reactions developed in the frame of an intersectorial and multidisciplinary European RTD project. The optimized reactions include enzymatic synthesis of 1-naphthol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, drug metabolites, furandicarboxylic acid, indigo and other dyes, and conductive polyaniline, terminal oxygenation of alkanes, biomass delignification and lignin oxidation, among others. These successful case stories demonstrate the unexploited potential of oxidoreductases in medium and large-scale biotransformations.

3 June 2003 in Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
NKNanne M. Kamerbeek
Nanne M. Kamerbeek
DJDick B. Janssen
Dick B. Janssen
Willem Berkel vanWillem Berkel van
Willem Berkel van
MFMarco W. Fraaije
Marco W. Fraaije

11 February 2010 in Nature
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
RHRuei-Jiun Hung
Ruei-Jiun Hung
UYUmar Yazdani
Umar Yazdani
JYJimok Yoon
Jimok Yoon
HWHeng Wu
Heng Wu
TYTaehong Yang
Taehong Yang
JTJonathan Terman
Jonathan Terman