Bjoern Hamberger

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Michigan State University

  • East Lansing MI

Hamberger's research focuses on the discovery of plant pathways for bioactive diterpenoids found in medicinal plant species.

Contact

Michigan State University

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Biography

Björn Hamberger is an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the College of Natural Science.

Areas of Expertise

Synthetic Biology
Plant Specialized Metabolites
Terpenes

Education

Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research

PhD

Molecular Biology of Plant Specialised Metabolism

News

Björn Hamberger: When science and art come together

360 Perspective  

2019-06-19

The Science Gallery Detroit is the first U.S. representation of a global university-linked network dedicated to public outreach at the intersection of science and art. Exhibitions aim at 15- to 25-year-olds by bridging emerging scientific areas with design and technology.

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MSU hosts second Fascination of Plants Day

Michigan State University News  

2018-06-12

Michigan State University plant biologists hosted the second Fascination of Plants Day on Saturday, May 19th at the Molecular Plant Sciences Building on main campus.

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Synthetic biology may hold key to answering some of the most difficult science questions

Michigan State University News  

2018-02-22

An emerging field — synthetic biology — is attempting to broadly address the need for more nutritious food, improved prevention and treatment of diseases, renewable energy sources and protection for the environment.

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Patents

Biosynthesis of acetylated 13r-mo and related compounds

US20180112243A1

2018

The invention relates to recombinant microorganisms and methods for producing acetylated diterpenes, including oxidized and/or acetylated oxidized diterpenes such as forskolin.

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Methods for Producing Diterpenes

US20180037912A1

2018

The present invention discloses that by combining different di TPS enzymes of class I and class II different diterpenes may be produced including diterpenes not identified in nature. Surprisingly it is revealed that a di TPS enzyme of class I of one species may be combined with a di TPS enzyme of class II from a different species, resulting in a high diversity of diterpenes, which can be produced.

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Stereo-specific synthesis of (13r)-manoyl oxide

US20160318893A1

2016

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing enantiomerically pure (13R)-manoyl oxide, said method comprising the steps of contacting geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) with a class II diterpene synthase to obtain labd-13-en-8,15-diol diphosphate (LPP), and then contacting the LPP with a class I diterpene synthase to obtain (13R)-manoyl oxide. The invention further relates to (13R)-manoyl oxide obtained by the method of the invention.

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Journal Articles

Promiscuous terpene synthases from Prunella vulgaris highlight the importance of substrate and compartment switching in terpene synthase evolution

New Phytologist

Sean R. Johnson, Wajid Waheed Bhat, Radin Sadre, Garret P. Miller, Alekzander Sky Garcia, Björn Hamberger

2019

The mint family (Lamiaceae) is well documented as a rich source of terpene natural products. More than 200 diterpene skeletons have been reported from mints, but biosynthetic pathways are known for just a few of these.

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Cytosolic lipid droplets as engineered organelles for production and accumulation of terpenoid biomaterials in leaves

Nature Communications

Radin Sadre, Peiyen Kuo, Jiaxing Chen, Yang Yang, Aparajita Banerjee, Christoph Benning & Bjoern Hamberger

2019

Cytosolic lipid droplets are endoplasmic reticulum-derived organelles typically found in seeds as reservoirs for physiological energy and carbon to fuel germination. Here, we report synthetic biology approaches to co-produce high-value sesqui- or diterpenoids together with lipid droplets in plant leaves. The formation of cytosolic lipid droplets is enhanced in the transient Nicotiana benthamiana system through ectopic production of WRINKLED1, a key regulator of plastid fatty acid biosynthesis, and a microalgal lipid droplet surface protein. Engineering of the pathways providing the universal C5-building blocks for terpenoids and installation of terpenoid biosynthetic pathways through direction of the enzymes to native and non-native compartments boost the production of target terpenoids. We show that anchoring of distinct biosynthetic steps onto the surface of lipid droplets leads to efficient production of terpenoid scaffolds and functionalized terpenoids. The co-produced lipid droplets “trap” the terpenoids in the cells.

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A chromosomal-scale genome assembly of Tectona grandis reveals the importance of tandem gene duplication and enables discovery of genes in natural product biosynthetic pathways

GigaScience

Dongyan Zhao, John P Hamilton, Wajid Waheed Bhat, Sean R Johnson, Grant T Godden, Taliesin J Kinser, Benoît Boachon, Natalia Dudareva, Douglas E Soltis, Pamela S Soltis, Bjoern Hamberger, C Robin Buell

2019

Teak, a member of the Lamiaceae family, produces one of the most expensive hardwoods in the world. High demand coupled with deforestation have caused a decrease in natural teak forests, and future supplies will be reliant on teak plantations. Hence, selection of teak tree varieties for clonal propagation with superior growth performance is of great importance, and access to high-quality genetic and genomic resources can accelerate the selection process by identifying genes underlying desired traits.

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