About me

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of York and graduated in 2021 with an MBiochem integrated masters degree. I developed a passion for algal biochemistry and their potential applications in combatting climate change. My master’s project explored protein-protein interactions which governed assembly of a liquid-liquid phase separated organelle termed the pyrenoid, a process central to carbon-concentrating mechanisms in diverse algal species. After graduation I spent 2 years working in industry as a Next Generation Sequencing Scientist for a company called Aptamer Group, before deciding to come back to the university to study a PhD which aligned more with my long term interests. My project focuses on algal-mediated turnover of biomass. Enzyme biochemistry was always an interest during my undergraduate degree, and this project coincides perfectly with my passion for tackling climate change and initiating a switch to a more sustainable carbon-neutral economy.

My Project

Lytic Polysaccharide MonoOxygenases (LPMOs) were recently discovered enzymes important in the degradation of recalcitrant polysaccharides such as chitin and cellulose. These enzymes chelate copper ions through a conserved histidine brace motif, a hallmark feature of all active LPMOs. LPMOs oxidatively cleave glycosidic linkages in cellulose or chitin chains. The oxidative action of LPMOs exposes previously inaccessible polysaccharide chain ends to processive action of exoglucanases, facilitating synergistic action of canonical cellulases and chitinases to initiate turnover of biomass to its constituent monomeric components. Cellulase cocktails are a major potential application of LPMOs in biofuel production. A new family of LPMOs, termed AA15, has recently been discovered in Thermobia domestica with a wide phylogenetic distribution, including presence in species of green microalgae for the first time. In my project I hope to purify LPMOs from these species of microalgae and demonstrate biochemical activity on either cellulose or chitin, a novelty in algal-mediated turnover of biomass. Future efforts will focus on solving 3D structures of these proteins and exploring their physiological roles using CRISPR-Cas9 to generate mutants. In my project, I hope to develop novel tools for cultivating algae.

Connect

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidan-salter-048653219