Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
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

Mafuma aims at elusive tournament victory with Junior Springboks
2016-06-03

Description: Mafuma Tags: Mafuma

The University of the Free State’s Mosolwa Mafuma
recently scored five tries in the Junior Springboks’
three practice matches against a Golden Lions U20
invitation team, a Maties team, and the
South Western Districts. Photo: SASPA

He has never won a rugby tournament, so Mosolwa Mafuma has only one goal: to win the Junior World Cup as Junior Springbok in England.

Even though the 20-year-old Shimlas wing has achieved success, and it is pleasing to excel individually, he believes it is more satisfying when his team triumphs. According to Mafuma, who could just as well be an athletics star, he wants to help the South African U20 team take a different approach.

He and the prop Kwenzo Blose are players from the University of the Free State who will represent the Junior Springboks from 7 to 25 June 2016 in Manchester. The team will play the first of three group matches on 7 June 2016 against Japan in the Academy Stadium.

New approach for SA U20 team
Mafuma, who was Player of the Tournament in his first Varsity Cup in 2016, says the Junior Springboks are well prepared. “We have the skills, and the structures at the Junior Springboks are different than before. There is not just one game plan like playing with big guys. We want to try new things and have a different approach.”

It is with this team that he wishes to achieve something. “It is one thing to be able to say that you are the Player of a Tournament, but your team did not win. I have not won something at school (with St. Benedict’s Boys College in Johannesburg) or this year with the Shimlas.”

Speedster on athletics track
The speedster is one of only a few rugby players who also have a profile on the IAAF website. His fastest time in the 100 m is 10.37 seconds (a national U17 record) and 20.37 s in the 200 m.

In high school, this first-year Psychology student played rugby during winter and took part in athletics during summer. Only at the end of Grade 11 did he started focusing on rugby. “I was more of an athlete than a rugby player,” he says.

It is no coincidence that the nickname he acquired due to his speed, is Dash. His other nickname, Senkie (derived from the Afrikaans word ‘seuntjie’) he received as a child from his parents because he was such a small child.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept