Unlocking CAZyme Interfaces: Renewable Fuels, Health, and Biochemicals via Cryo-EM, Genomics, Chemical Biology and Enzyme Biochemistry

Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) convert saccharides-based materials and molecules to renewable fuels, biochemicals and bio-based materials. Accordingly, CAZymes find myriad roles across biology, e.g. CAZYmes are essential to the digestion of dietary glycans in food and feed. Also, CAZymes have critical roles in a wide range of applications in health and environmental research. The 2025 Gordon Research Conference, titled “Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes for Glycan Conversions”, is the latest in the on-going program of GRC meetings dedicated to this topic. Its focus will be on the importance of the molecular and biological interfaces of CAZymes, an understanding of which can unlock their uses in many applications. In particular, the 2025 conference will offer exciting and complementary sessions on the enzymes and enzyme systems which are studied using techniques such as cryo-EM, synthesis of molecular probes, functional metagenomics screening and synthetic gene libraries. Frontline research topics will cover latest insights into glycosyl transferase mechanisms, the use of CAZymes for chemical conversions and multi-enzyme complexes from diverse natural habitats.