Learning from nature to protect it

Meet our sister enzyme projects

In our world, collaboration is a fundamental tool. From the simplest organisms to the most complex, we need each other to reach our full potential. 

Nature and its ecosystems are very complex and fragile, and we’ve been damaging them for many years. Not so long ago, seeing smoke coming out of a factory chimney was a prosperity and good work sign for the industry.  High production was associated with a bright future, regardless of the damage to the environment.  

Fortunately, nowadays progress and industry are becoming more compatible with our planet’s needs and care. Thus, we have become aware of the urgent need to change our practices to a more sustainable production. 

As a result, research has progressed and has paved the way to sustainable production, trying to set aside industrial processes that may harm our planet. Various approaches and proposals from research have been explored to address this challenge, with enzyme-based technologies being one of the most promising ways to obtain novel and greener consumer products.  

The unique selectivity and transformative capacity of these molecules give them significant potential to contribute to sustainability, reduce environmental pollution and decrease production costs of a wide range of industrial processes as well as to improve product performance and characteristics.   

However, enzymes still face some important obstacles to their industrial application such as low success rates in discovery of new enzymes and their engineering; tedious and expensive methods to explore diversity; and limited activity/stability in the final application. 

For this reason, the European Union provides funding for projects aimed at approaching enzyme technology to real industrial conditions and applications. One of them is Radical Z, along with three other enzyme projects named EnXylaScope, FuturEnzyme, and Oxipro. Altogether, they have formed a cluster with a common goal: developing innovative technologies for the discovery and engineering of enzymes for more efficient industrial applications, in particular the creation of more sustainable products that will allow reduction of environmental impact of current products and their production processes. 

Context of each project 

In response to an open question posed by the European Commission on the topic, each of these enzyme projects within this cluster has offered different approaches towards the use of enzymes to generate more sustainable products. Despite having a common goal, the four projects address the same problem in specialized areas, reflecting the varied applications of enzymes. 

Starting with OXYPRO. It harnesses the potential of new oxidoreductases to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for various consumer sectors. It pretends to make steps towards greener sunscreens, textiles, nutraceuticals, and detergents, and will contribute to the overall sustainability and competitiveness of the European bio-based economy. 

In the cluster, we also find EnXylaScope, which is based on the xylan molecule. This is a very abundant polymer that can be suitable for incorporation into an array of consumer products if the correct modifications are made. This project aims to expand the reach and industrial potential of enzymes which are able to break down xylan into smaller molecules. The goal is to utilize these enzymes in the personal care, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals sectors. 

Next is FutureEnzyme, which aims addressing the challenges of the Paris Climate Conference (COP21), the European Green Deal, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and the EU Bioeconomy priorities. This will be done by developing solutions on a fast-track platform for enzyme discovery, design, optimization, and formulation, tailored to meet the key performance indicators of detergent, textile, and cosmetic manufacturing sectors.  

The last member of the cluster, but not least, it’s RadicalZ. We aim to develop a user-friendly, intuitive software to improve enzyme engineering, making it more accessible, durable, eco-friendly, and effective for industrial applications spanning laundry production, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals. This will be done by developing new enzymes, capsules for novel formulations, and using machine learning for protein engineering. So, despite focusing on different enzymes or raw materials or technologies, all these projects work for a common good and can later be transferred to other sectors and broader applications. 

Collaboration between projects

Although each project focuses on their specific objectives, we are always looking for synergies and aim to share relevant information and findings. We participate together in the creation of a newsletter that shares information about enzyme-based technologies. It is called “The Active Site” and we hope it will become the must go-to newsletter for staying tuned about the latest developments in enzymes and enzymology research, oriented towards creating greener, yet efficient consumer products. Whether you’re a researcher or a professional in the industry, this newsletter, created by the Cluster, has something for you.  

We also collaborate in the drafting of new policy documents such as policy briefs. Other collaborative initiatives include joint training, coordination or dissemination activities such as our participation in the ESOF congress last month.

Our collaboration, therefore, is essential for us to continue living on a planet where ecosystems are not damaged and mutualistic interactions persist. This is why it’s fundamental to cluster, strength in numbers  and promote research in order to create the next generation of consumer products, which meet customer needs without harming our planet.