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11 July 2022 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Supplied
Prof Martie Smith and Prof Drik Opperman
Prof Martie Smit and Prof Dirk Opperman in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry filed a patent entitled “Process for the chemical modification of alkanes, fatty acids and fatty alcohols”.

Flavours and fragrances have a wide application in the food, feed, cosmetic, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. Many flavour compounds are still produced via chemical synthesis or via extraction from plant or animal sources. However, there is increasing interest in their bio-production or the use of flavour compounds of (micro) biological origin. 

One reason for this shift is that chemical synthesis often uses environmentally unfriendly processes. Chemical synthesis usually also produces racemic mixtures with the second enantiomer, mirror image of the looked-for compound, often having undesirable organoleptic properties. Furthermore, the consumer has developed a “chemophobia”-attitude towards synthetic chemical compounds, especially when related to food and home-care products.  This applies even to nature-identical compounds – products that occur in nature but are produced via a non-natural chemical process. Products produced with the use of enzymes or microbes from “natural” substrates can be labelled “natural”. The flavour and fragrance industry thus pay higher prices for such products labelled as “natural”.  

The invention

A University of the Free State (UFS) team, led by Prof Martie Smit and Prof Dirk Opperman in the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry are conducting exciting research in this area. They filed a patent entitled “Process for the chemical modification of alkanes, fatty acids and fatty alcohols”.  

The invention relates to a process for the enzymatic in-chain hydroxylation of C12 to C16 fatty acids, alcohols, and alkanes. Hydroxylation of C12 fatty acid and alcohol provides routes for the synthesis of “natural” δ-dodecalactone. The advantage of these routes is that they do not rely on massoia lactones. Massoia lactones are derived from the bark of Massoia trees which grow in Indonesia. Harvesting of the bark kills the trees.  

The cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) claimed in this patent are to the inventors’ knowledge the most regioselective enzymes described thus far that can be used for the synthesis of δ-dodecalactone from lauric acid or 1-dodecanol. The approach that the technology takes is to claim cytochrome P450 enzymes that share 70 % amino acid identity to a set of selected P450s for the regioselective hydroxylation of lauric acid and 1-dodecanol to synthesise δ-dodecalactone.

Still in early stage

The current state of development is early stage with the technology only demonstrated in the laboratory on a small scale (100-200 ml). Before the technology can be commercialised the team would need to further improve the regioselectivity and stability of the P450s and proof that the reactions can be scaled up in bioreactors. The technology will probably be delivered as an enzyme (amino acid sequence) with the desired properties. 

There are other research groups working on a synthetic biology approach for the de novo synthesis of δ-dodecalactone from glucose by genetically engineered microbes. It is still unclear how such a process will compare in terms of product yields, economics and environmental impact with the processes proposed by the UFS patent.

If the team had to partner with a commercial company, their first choice would be to work with an established flavour and fragrance company. Another possibility would be the small French flavour and fragrance company that Dr Alizé Pennec, the post-doc and co-inventor who initially discovered the unique P450 activity, is working for.

Please view the videos for more information on patents.

The Vice-Rector: Research and Internationalisation has released two new calls for applications for funding. Academic staff and researchers are encouraged to submit applications for these funds. At this stage we are not accepting projects from Research Fellows. 

The two funds are: 

1.  The Industrial Engagement Fund 
2.  The Intellectual Property Commercialisation Fund

Each fund has its own guidelines and application process. The guidelines are attached. The applications must be filled in on RIMS.

The RIMS application forms can be found through this link

For more information please click the documents below:



News Archive

#Women’sMonth: A career in Sign Language interpreting proves to be full of rewards for Natasha Parkins-Maliko
2017-08-03

 Description: Natasha Parkins-Maliko new Tags: Natasha Parkins-Maliko new 

Natasha Parkins-Maliko. She
was recently awarded the Pansalb
Multilingual Award in the category:
Translation and Interpreting 2016/2017,
as recognition for her achievements
in a sixteen-year career.
Photo: Supplied

Natasha Parkins-Maliko is an alumna of the University of the Free State who graduated with a master’s in Linguistics. She is a well-rounded interpreter with a language combination of South African Sign Language-English-Afrikaans. She continued her studies and achieved an international master’s in Sign Language interpreting at the Humak University of Applied Sciences in Finland.  Natasha was recently presented with the Pansalb Multilingual Award in the category: Translation and Interpreting 2016/2017, as recognition for her achievements in a sixteen-year career.

“Winning the Pansalb Translation and Interpreting Award for 2016/2017, was for me as Kovsie a pat on the back in the true sense of the word.  The university is where I started my journey in South African Sign Language interpreting, and from then on, I never looked back,” she said.

Her interpreting career has provided many challenges, and was accompanied by great achievements along the way.

A career of fulfilment in Sign Language

“The foundation of my success was laid by my lecturers and mentors, such as Dr Philemon Akach and Emily Matabane, where I trained in the Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) at the university.”

“My determination and success is grounded in the motto, ‘Inspiring Excellence, Transforming Lives’ – a continued journey in excellence gives a renewed sense of pride for all language practitioners in South Africa,” she said.

Natasha went on to work in the deaf community for most of her career. She started as a grassroots interpreter, and is now a professional interpreter registered with SATI (South African Translators Institute). She is also a Sign Language television interpreter on SABC for content such as SABC 3 news bulletins, the budget speech, opening of Parliament, Youth Day broadcasts, January 8th statement broadcasts, MPC Reserve Bank speeches, and many more. Natasha is not only concerned with growing her career – despite her mover and shaker persona, she still takes time to volunteer her services for deaf people who do not have the financial ability to pay for interpreting.

“Winning the Pansalb Translation and
Interpreting Award for 2016/2017, was
for me as Kovsie a pat on the back in
the true sense of the word.”

The journey to excellence never stops
Over and above lecturing in Interpreting and Translation at Wits University, Natasha is still in pursuit of excellence. She is a PhD candidate in the SASL Interpreting programme at Wits University, the first of its kind in the country, and is pursuing an AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters) accreditation. Her aim is to put South African Sign Language interpretation on the global map.

As a role model and icon in her field, Natasha is the chairperson of the National Association of South African Sign Language Interpreters (NASASLI), the regional coordinator for the African Federation of Sign Language Interpreters (AFSLI), and the Africa regional representative on the board of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI).  The award presented to her is no doubt a fitting accolade and something all UFS alumni takes pride in.

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