Superglue from Nature

The development of novel chemical ligation methods, expansion of genetic codons and the discovery of inteins and peptide ligases have enabled major advances in ligation chemistry. Prof James Tam's lab is particularly interested in the discovery of plant-derived ligases. This superglue from nature enables bonding between peptides, peptide-to-protein, and protein-to-protein, without protecting groups, activating agents and under aqueous conditions, and with exquisite selectivity.

In the lecture held on 30 April 2019, Prof Tam discussed his team's work that enabled site-specific bonding of chemicals, polymers, peptides and proteins to form new compounds under physiological conditions, and the discovery of Asxspecific peptide ligases in NTU campus.