Alan R. Battersby
Encyclopedia
Sir Alan Rushton Battersby FRS ((born 4 March 1925) is a British organic chemist known for his work on the genetic blueprint, structure, and synthetic pathway of Cyanocobalamin
. This came in collaboration with a partner and also in relation to work on plant alkaloids. He won the Copley Medal
in 2000 and has also won other awards such as Royal Medal
in 1989.
at Cambridge University from 1988 - 1992.
and vitamin B12
, that are built on closely related tetrapyrrolic structural frameworks
. He has demonstrated and elucidated the essential role played by two enzymes, deaminase and cosynthetase, in the construction of the tetrapyrrolic ring with its specific structural features.
In 1988, he was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
. He was awarded the Wolf Prize in Chemistry
along with Duilio Arigoni of ETH Zurich
in 1989 for "their fundamental contributions to the elucidation of the mechanism of enzymic reactions and of the biosynthesis of natural products, in particular the pigments of life".
Cyanocobalamin
Cyanocobalamin is an especially common vitamer of the vitamin B12 family. It is the most famous vitamer of the family, because it is, in chemical terms, the most air-stable...
. This came in collaboration with a partner and also in relation to work on plant alkaloids. He won the Copley Medal
Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is an award given by the Royal Society of London for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science, and alternates between the physical sciences and the biological sciences"...
in 2000 and has also won other awards such as Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
in 1989.
Birth and academic career
Battersby was born in the United Kingdom. He was Professor of Organic ChemistryBP Professor of Organic Chemistry
The BP Professorship of Organic Chemistry is one of the senior professorships at the University of Cambridge.Founded in 1702 by the university as simply 'Professor of Chemistry', it was retitled as the Professorship of Organic Chemistry in 1943, and in 1991 was renamed after a benefaction from the...
at Cambridge University from 1988 - 1992.
Research
Battersby is known for his research on the biosynthesis of the 'pigments of life' haem, chlorophyllChlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...
and vitamin B12
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, vitamin B12 or vitamin B-12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins...
, that are built on closely related tetrapyrrolic structural frameworks
Tetrapyrrole
Tetrapyrroles are compounds containing four pyrrole rings. With the exception of corrin, the four pyrrole rings are interconnected through one-carbon bridges, in either a linear or a cyclic fashion...
. He has demonstrated and elucidated the essential role played by two enzymes, deaminase and cosynthetase, in the construction of the tetrapyrrolic ring with its specific structural features.
In 1988, he was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
. He was awarded the Wolf Prize in Chemistry
Wolf Prize in Chemistry
The Wolf Prize in Chemistry is awarded once a year by the Wolf Foundation in Israel. It is one of the six Wolf Prizes established by the Foundation and awarded since 1978; the others are in Agriculture, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics and Arts.-Laureates:...
along with Duilio Arigoni of ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
in 1989 for "their fundamental contributions to the elucidation of the mechanism of enzymic reactions and of the biosynthesis of natural products, in particular the pigments of life".