Simone Morra

Contact

• workRoom B18a Coates
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work+44 (0)115 951 4092
• Simone.Morra@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

Simone is a graduate of the University of Torino (Italy) where he obtained his BSc in Biology (2007), MSc in Biomolecular sciences (2009) and PhD in Science and high technology, curriculum bio-chemistry (2013). In the period 2008-2016 he worked in Torino with Prof Gianfranco Gilardi and Dr Francesca Valetti focusing his research on enzymatic and fermentative bio-hydrogen production, being involved in several European and regional research projects and collaborating with local companies and international partners (Dr Paul King, NREL, USA). Simone then moved to the UK and worked at the University of Nottingham on artificial metalloenzymes with Dr Anca Pordea (2016-2017). He was then awarded a Marie Curie individual fellowship (2018-2019) to work with Prof Kylie Vincent at the University of Oxford, where he applied advanced infrared (FTIR) spectro-electrochemical techniques to metalloenzymes. Simone re-joined the University of Nottingham as a Nottingham Research Fellow in 2020 and was appointed as Assistant Professor in May 2023.

Simone is part of the Food, Water, Waste Research Group.

Teaching Summary

I teach CHEE3010 Biochemical engineering and CHEE1036 Process engineering principles. I also contribute to year 1 practical laboratories (chemistry) and MEng projects.

Research Summary

I am interested in elucidating hydrogen metabolism in microorganisms and how these mechanisms can be engineered to produce or utilise H₂ in industrial biotechnology.

The key rection is catalysed by metalloenzymes named [FeFe]-hydrogenases that have evolved the ability to produce hydrogen at high turnover rates. I aim to explore the diversity of such enzymes, understand how their function is regulated (both in vitro and in vivo) and engineer these mechanisms to improve H₂ productivity.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1341-191X

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simone_Morra

Selected Publications

• SARAH E CLEARY, STEPHEN J HALL, REGINA GALAN-BATALLER, TARA C LURSHAY, CHARLOTTE HANCOX, JAMES J WILLIAMSON, JOHN T HEAP, HOLLY A REEVE and SIMONE MORRA, 2024. Scalable bioreactor production of an O2-protected [FeFe]- hydrogenase enables simple aerobic handling for clean chemical synthesis ChemCatChem. e202400193
• MORRA SIMONE, 2022. Fantastic [FeFe]-Hydrogenases and Where to Find Them Frontiers in Microbiology.
• MORRA, SIMONE, DUAN, JIFU, WINKLER, MARTIN, ASH, PHILIP A., HAPPE, THOMAS and VINCENT, KYLIE A., 2021. Electrochemical control of [FeFe]-hydrogenase single crystals reveals complex redox populations at the catalytic site DALTON TRANSACTIONS. 50(36), 12655-12663
• MORRA, SIMONE, ARIZZI, MARIACONCETTA, VALETTI, FRANCESCA and GILARDI, GIANFRANCO, 2016. Oxygen Stability in the New [FeFe]-Hydrogenase from Clostridium beijerinckii SM10 (CbA5H) BIOCHEMISTRY. 55(42), 5897-5900

• View all publications

Future Research

I welcome enquiries from potential PhD candidates from Home, EU and international countries who are interested in the following research areas: enzyme discovery and characterisation, protein engineering, protein chemistry/biochemistry.

• VALETTI, FRANCESCA, MORRA, SIMONE, BARBIERI, LISA, DEZZANI, SABRINA, RATTO, ALESSANDRO, CATUCCI, GIANLUCA, SADEGHI, SHEILA J. and GILARDI, GIANFRANCO, 2024. Oxygen-resistant [FeFe]hydrogenases: new biocatalysis tools for clean energy and cascade reactions Faraday Discuss.. -
• SARAH E CLEARY, STEPHEN J HALL, REGINA GALAN-BATALLER, TARA C LURSHAY, CHARLOTTE HANCOX, JAMES J WILLIAMSON, JOHN T HEAP, HOLLY A REEVE and SIMONE MORRA, 2024. Scalable bioreactor production of an O2-protected [FeFe]- hydrogenase enables simple aerobic handling for clean chemical synthesis ChemCatChem. e202400193
• BOMBANA, A., SHANMUGAM, M., COLLISON, D., KIBLER, A. J., NEWTON, G. N., JÄGER, C. M., CROFT, A. K., MORRA, S. and MITCHELL, N. J., 2023. Application of a Synthetic Ferredoxin-Inspired [4Fe4S]-Peptide Maquette as the Redox Partner for an [FeFe]-Hydrogenase CHEMBIOCHEM. e202300250
• MORRA SIMONE, 2022. Fantastic [FeFe]-Hydrogenases and Where to Find Them Frontiers in Microbiology.
• ASH, PHILIP A., KENDALL-PRICE, SOPHIE E. T., EVANS, RHIANNON M., CARR, STEPHEN B., BRASNETT, AMELIA R., MORRA, SIMONE, ROWBOTHAM, JACK S., HIDALGO, RICARDO, HEALY, ADAM J., CINQUE, GIANFELICE, FROGLEY, MARK D., ARMSTRONG, FRASER A. and VINCENT, KYLIE A., 2021. The crystalline state as a dynamic system: IR microspectroscopy under electrochemical control for a [NiFe] hydrogenase CHEMICAL SCIENCE.
• MORRA, SIMONE, DUAN, JIFU, WINKLER, MARTIN, ASH, PHILIP A., HAPPE, THOMAS and VINCENT, KYLIE A., 2021. Electrochemical control of [FeFe]-hydrogenase single crystals reveals complex redox populations at the catalytic site DALTON TRANSACTIONS. 50(36), 12655-12663
• ARIZZI, M., MORRA, S., GILARDI, G., PUGLIESE, M., GULLINO, M. L. and VALETTI, F., 2021. Improving sustainable hydrogen production from green waste: [FeFe]-hydrogenases quantitative gene expression RT-qPCR analysis in presence of autochthonous consortia BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS. 14(1),
• MINERDI D, SADEGHI SJ, PAUTASSO L, MORRA S, AIGOTTI R, MEDANA C, GILARDI G, GULLINO ML and GILARDI G, 2019. Expression and role of CYP505A1 in pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Proteins and proteomics. 1868(1), 140268
• MORRA S and PORDEA A, 2018. Biocatalyst-artificial metalloenzyme cascade based on alcohol dehydrogenase. Chemical science. 9(38), 7447-7454
• MORRA, SIMONE, VALETTI, FRANCESCA and GILARDI, GIANFRANCO, 2017. [FeFe]-hydrogenases as biocatalysts in bio-hydrogen production RENDICONTI LINCEI-SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI. 28, 183-194
• MORRA, SIMONE, ARIZZI, MARIACONCETTA, VALETTI, FRANCESCA and GILARDI, GIANFRANCO, 2016. Oxygen Stability in the New [FeFe]-Hydrogenase from Clostridium beijerinckii SM10 (CbA5H) BIOCHEMISTRY. 55(42), 5897-5900
• MORRA, SIMONE, MONGILI, BEATRICE, MAURELLI, SARA, GILARDI, GIANFRANCO and VALETTI, FRANCESCA, 2016. Isolation and characterization of a new [FeFe]-hydrogenase from Clostridium perfringens BIOTECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED BIOCHEMISTRY. 63(3), 305-311
• MORRA, SIMONE, MAURELLI, SARA, CHIESA, MARIO, MULDER, DAVID W., RATZLOFF, MICHAEL W., GIAMELLO, ELIO, KING, PAUL W., GILARDI, GIANFRANCO and VALETTI, FRANCESCA, 2016. The effect of a C298D mutation in CaHydA [FeFe]-hydrogenase: Insights into the protein-metal cluster interaction by EPR and FTIR spectroscopic investigation BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS. 1857(1), 98-106
• ARIZZI, MARIACONCETTA, MORRA, SIMONE, PUGLIESE, MASSIMO, GUILIN, MARIA LODOVICA, GILARDI, GIANFRANCO and VALETTI, FRANCESCA, 2016. Biohydrogen and biomethane production sustained by untreated matrices and alternative application of compost waste WASTE MANAGEMENT. 56, 151-157
• POLLIOTTO, VALERIA, MORRA, SIMONE, LIVRAGHI, STEFANO, VALETTI, FRANCESCA, GILARDI, GIANFRANCO and GIAMELLO, ELIO, 2016. Electron transfer and H-2 evolution in hybrid systems based on [FeFe]-hydrogenase anchored on modified TiO2 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY. 41(25), 10547-10556
• ZITELLA, PAOLA, LA LICATA, BARBARA, BOULANGER, ALEXIA, CUZZOLA, VINCENZO, MORRA, SIMONE, VALETTI, FRANCESCA and GILARDI, GIANFRANCO, 2016. EXTRACTION OF BIOCHEMICALS FROM THE WINE INDUSTRY BY-PRODUCTS AND THEIR VALORIZATION ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT JOURNAL. 15(9), 2049-2056
• MORRA, SIMONE, VALETTI, FRANCESCA, SARASSO, VERONICA, CASTRIGNANO, SILVIA, SADEGHI, SHEILA J. and GILARDI, GIANFRANCO, 2015. Hydrogen production at high Faradaic efficiency by a bio-electrode based on TiO2 adsorption of a new [FeFe]-hydrogenase from Clostridium perfringens BIOELECTROCHEMISTRY. 106, 258-262
• MORRA S, CORDARA A, GILARDI G and VALETTI F, 2015. Atypical effect of temperature tuning on the insertion of the catalytic iron-sulfur center in a recombinant [FeFe]-hydrogenase. Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society. 24(12), 2090-4
• MORRA, SIMONE, ARIZZI, MARIACONCETTA, ALLEGRA, PAOLA, LA LICATA, BARBARA, SAGNELLI, FABIO, ZITELLA, PAOLA, GILARDI, GIANFRANCO and VALETTI, FRANCESCA, 2014. Expression of different types of [FeFe]-hydrogenase genes in bacteria isolated from a population of a bio-hydrogen pilot-scale plant INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY. 39(17), 9018-9027
• MORRA, SIMONE, GIRAUDO, ALBERTO, DI NARDO, GIOVANNA, KING, PAUL W., GILARDI, GIANFRANCO and VALETTI, FRANCESCA, 2012. Site Saturation Mutagenesis Demonstrates a Central Role for Cysteine 298 as Proton Donor to the Catalytic Site in CaHydA [FeFe]-Hydrogenase PLOS ONE. 7(10),
• MORRA, SIMONE, VALETTI, FRANCESCA, SADEGHI, SHEILA J., KING, PAUL W., MEYER, TOBY and GILARDI, GIANFRANCO, 2011. Direct electrochemistry of an [FeFe]-hydrogenase on a TiO2 Electrode CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 47(38), 10566-10568