Research
Synthetic biology, Biosynthesis, Antimicrobial resistance, Cell-free systems, Gene expression, Enzymes
Interests
The Moore group specialises in cell-free synthetic biology and biosynthesis.
Cell-free synthetic biology
We have developed several high-yielding (up to 4 mg/mL) cell-free systems for the rapid engineering of peptides, proteins and small molecules for infectious disease and agricultural applications. We are collaborating with Syngenta for the targeted development of bioactive compounds against crop diseases, as well as Professor Mark Sutton at UKHSA on a BBSRC funded “anticipate, learn and counter” themed project using cell-free systems to study antimicrobial resistance. Here we bridging a new interface between synthetic biology and infectious diseases, for the development of alternative antimicrobials and the study of AMR.
Engineering Biosynthesis
Second, we are interested in engineering biosynthesis for new-to-nature natural products for high-value chemicals and bioactive compounds, as well as the fundamental discovery of new chemical logic, mechanism, and the structural biology of uncharacterised enzymes in natural product biosynthesis. We are working on two evolutionary distinct pathways biosynthetic pathways for making modified indoles, with potential applications for natural medicines and pigments/dyes.
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology
2024
Biosynthesis of Arcyriaflavin F from Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 10712Lai H, Kennedy A, Tanner L, Bartram EA, Chee SM, Freemont PS and
Moore SJ Chembiochem,
Wiley vol. 25 (20), e202400357-e202400357.
22-07-2024Microscopic and metabolomics analysis of the anti-Listeria activity of natural and engineered cruzioseptinsBermúdez-Puga S, Dias M, Lima Reis I, Freire de Oliveira T, Yokomizo de Almeida SR, Mendes MA,
Moore SJ, Almeida JR, Proaño-Bolaños C and Pinheiro de Souza Oliveira R
Biochimie,
Elsevier vol. 225, 168-175.
31-05-2024 2023
A cell-free strategy for host-specific profiling of intracellular antibiotic sensitivity and resistanceChengan K, Hind C, Stanley M, Wand ME, Nagappa LK, Howland K, Hanson T, Martín-Escolano R, Tsaousis AD, Bengoechea JA, Mark Sutton J, Smales CM and
Moore SJ Npj Antimicrobials and Resistance,
Springer Nature vol. 1 (1), 16-16.
18-12-2023 Streptomyces cell-free systems for natural product discovery and engineeringMoore SJ, Lai H-E, Li J and Freemont PS
Natural Product Reports,
Royal Society of Chemistry (Rsc) vol. 40 (2), 228-236.
01-01-2023 2022
A ubiquitous amino acid source for prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell-free transcription-translation systemsNagappa LK, Sato W, Alam F, Chengan K, Smales CM, Von Der Haar T, Polizzi KM, Adamala KP and
Moore SJ Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,
Frontiers vol. 10
16-09-2022 A curcumin direct protein biosensor for cell‐free prototypingKennedy A, Griffin G, Freemont PS, Polizzi KM and
Moore SJ Engineering Biology,
Institution of Engineering and Technology (Iet) vol. 6 (2-3), 62-68.
01-06-2022 2021
Editorial: Cell-Free Synthetic BiologyLi J, Kwon Y-C, Lu Y and
Moore SJ Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,
Frontiers vol. 9
29-11-2021 GenoChemetic Strategy for Derivatization of the Violacein Natural Product ScaffoldLai H-E, Obled AMC, Chee SM, Morgan RM, Lynch R, Sharma SV,
Moore SJ, Polizzi KM, Goss RJM and Freemont PS
Acs Chemical Biology,
American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 16 (11), 2116-2123.
14-10-2021 A High-Yield Streptomyces TX-TL Toolkit for Synthetic Biology and Natural Product ApplicationsToh M, Chengan K, Hanson T, Freemont PS and
Moore SJ Journal of Visualized Experiments,
Myjove (175), 10.3791/63012-10.3791/63012.
10-09-2021 A High-Yield Streptomyces Transcription-Translation Toolkit for Synthetic Biology and Natural Product ApplicationsToh M, Chengan K, Hanson T, Freemont PS and
Moore SJ Journal of Visualized Experiments,
Myjove (175)
10-09-2021 High-yield ‘one-pot’ biosynthesis of raspberry ketone, a high-value fine chemicalMoore SJ, Tosi T, Bell D, Hleba YB, Polizzi KM and Freemont PS
Synthetic Biology,
Oxford University Press (Oup) vol. 6 (1)
20-08-2021 The “beauty in the beast”—the multiple uses of Priestia megaterium in biotechnologyBiedendieck R, Knuuti T,
Moore SJ and Jahn D
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,
Springer Nature vol. 105 (14-15), 5719-5737.
15-07-2021 Refactoring of a synthetic raspberry ketone pathway with EcoFlexMoore SJ, Hleba YB, Bischoff S, Bell D, Polizzi KM and Freemont PS
Microbial Cell Factories,
Springer Nature vol. 20 (1)
10-06-2021 A Streptomyces venezuelae Cell-Free Toolkit for Synthetic BiologyMoore SJ, Lai H-E, Chee S-M, Toh M, Coode S, Chengan K, Capel P, Corre C, de los Santos ELC and Freemont PS
Acs Synthetic Biology,
American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 10 (2), 402-411.
26-01-2021 2020
Correction to EcoFlex: A Multifunctional MoClo Kit for E. coli Synthetic BiologyMoore SJ, Lai H-E, Kelwick RJR, Chee SM, Bell DJ, Polizzi KM and Freemont PS
Acs Synthetic Biology,
American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 9 (5), 1225-1225.
17-04-2020 2019
Enzyme alchemy: cell-free synthetic biochemistry for natural products.Moore SJ Emerging Topics in Life Sciences,
Portland Press vol. 3 (5), 529-535.
04-09-2019 Synthetic Biology and the United NationsLai H-E, Canavan C, Cameron L,
Moore S, Danchenko M, Kuiken T, Sekeyová Z and Freemont PS
Trends in Biotechnology,
Elsevier vol. 37 (11), 1146-1151.
27-06-2019 2018
Rapid acquisition and model-based analysis of cell-free transcription–translation reactions from nonmodel bacteriaMoore SJ, MacDonald JT, Wienecke S, Ishwarbhai A, Tsipa A, Aw R, Kylilis N, Bell DJ, McClymont DW, Jensen K, Polizzi KM, Biedendieck R and Freemont PS
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America,
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 115 (19), e4340-e4349.
17-04-2018 EcoFlex: A Multifunctional MoClo Kit for E. coli Synthetic BiologyLai H-E,
Moore S, Polizzi K and Freemont P
In
Synthetic Biology,
Springer Nature 429-444.
01-01-2018 2017
Cell-free synthetic biology for in vitro prototype engineeringMoore SJ, MacDonald JT and Freemont PS
Biochemical Society Transactions,
Portland Press vol. 45 (3), 785-791.
15-06-2017 Correction: Corrigendum: Elucidation of the biosynthesis of the methane catalyst coenzyme F430Moore SJ, Sowa ST, Schuchardt C, Deery E, Lawrence AD, Ramos JV, Billig S, Birkemeyer C, Chivers PT, Howard MJ, Rigby SEJ, Layer G and Warren MJ
Nature,
Springer Nature vol. 545 (7652), 116-116.
01-05-2017 Streptomyces venezuelae TX‐TL – a next generation cell‐free synthetic biology toolMoore SJ, Lai H, Needham H, Polizzi KM and Freemont PS
Biotechnology Journal,
Wiley vol. 12 (4)
24-02-2017 Elucidation of the biosynthesis of the methane catalyst coenzyme F430Moore SJ, Sowa ST, Schuchardt C, Deery E, Lawrence AD, Ramos JV, Billig S, Birkemeyer C, Chivers PT, Howard MJ, Rigby SEJ, Layer G and Warren MJ
Nature,
Springer Nature vol. 543 (7643), 78-82.
22-02-2017 2016
EcoFlex: A Multifunctional MoClo Kit for E. coli Synthetic BiologyMoore SJ, Lai H-E, Kelwick RJR, Chee SM, Bell DJ, Polizzi KM and Freemont PS
Acs Synthetic Biology,
American Chemical Society (Acs) vol. 5 (10), 1059-1069.
02-05-2016 2015
Multilevel Regulation and Translational Switches in Synthetic BiologyKopniczky MB,
Moore SJ and Freemont PS
Ieee Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems,
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (Ieee) vol. 9 (4), 485-496.
01-08-2015 2014
Synthetic Biology in Metabolic Engineering: From Complex Biochemical Pathways to Compartmentalized Metabolic Processes – a Vitamin ConnectionDeery E, Frank S, Lawrence A,
Moore S, Schroeder S and Warren MJ
In
Encyclopedia of Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine,
Wiley 1-47.
20-10-2014 Towards a cell factory for vitamin B12 production in Bacillus megaterium: bypassing of the cobalamin riboswitch control elementsMoore SJ, Mayer MJ, Biedendieck R, Deery E and Warren MJ
New Biotechnology,
Elsevier vol. 31 (6), 553-561.
20-03-2014 2013
Elucidation of the anaerobic pathway for the corrin component of cobalamin (vitamin B12)Moore SJ, Lawrence AD, Biedendieck R, Deery E, Frank S, Howard MJ, Rigby SEJ and Warren MJ
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America,
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 110 (37), 14906-14911.
06-08-2013 2012
Characterization of the Enzyme CbiH60 Involved in Anaerobic Ring Contraction of the Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) Biosynthetic Pathway*Moore SJ, Biedendieck R, Lawrence AD, Deery E, Howard MJ, Rigby SEJ and Warren MJ
Journal of Biological Chemistry,
Elsevier vol. 288 (1), 297-305.
15-11-2012 The anaerobic biosynthesis of vitamin B12Moore SJ and Warren MJ
Biochemical Society Transactions,
Portland Press vol. 40 (3), 581-586.
22-05-2012
