Dr. Stewart

Jon D. Stewart

Professor, Department of Chemistry
Affiliate Professor, Department of Biomedical Enginering
Affiliate Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Office: 102 Leigh Hall
Office Phone: 352.846.0743
Office Fax: 352.846.0743
Lab Phone: 352.846.0989
E-mail: jds2@chem.ufl.edu

Research

Enzymes as practical catalysts for organic synthesis. We develop enzyme-catalyzed reactions that help make chemical synthesis more sustainable.  Ourgoal is to develop reactions that can be use to prepare valuable compounds in both academia and industry. This work is currently supported by the National Science Foundation and involves protein engineering, X-ray crystallography and organic synthesis.

Recent publications

1. “Exploring the Structure-Function Relationships in a 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Synthase and the Use of Protein Engineering to Expand Its Substrate Range.”  A. Kim and J.D. Stewart.  Biochemistry 2024, 64, 238-249.

2. “Broadening the Substrate Range of Serine Palmitoyltransferase by Protein Engineering and Applications to 3-Keto-Dihydrosphingosine Analogs.”  H. Choe, M. Cha, A. Worthington and J.D. Stewart.  Catalysis Sci. Technol. 2024, 14, 6600-6608.

3.  “Optimization of the Recovery of Secondary Metabolites from Defatted Brassica carinata Meal and Its Effects on the Extractability and Functional Properties of Proteins.”   V.P.T. Nguyen, J.D. Stewart, F. Allais and I. Ioannou.  Foods 2022, 9, 664602.

4. “Sinapic Acid and Sinapate Esters in Brassica:  Innate Accumulation, Biosynthesis, Accessibility via Chemical Synthesis or Recovery from Biomass, and Biological Activities.”  T. Nguyen, J.D. Stewart, I. Ioannou and F. Allais, Frontiers Chem. 2021, 9, 664602.

5. “Glucosinolates: Natural Occurrence, Biosynthesis, Accessibility, Isolation, Structures, and Biological Activities.”  V.P.T. Nguyen, J. Stewart, M. Lopez, I. Ioannou and F. Allais, Molecules 2020, 25, 4537.

6. “Semi-rational approach to Expand the Acyl-CoA Chain Length Tolerance of Sphingomonas paucimobilis Palmitoyltransferase.”  H. Choe, M. Cha and J.D. Stewart, Enz. Microb. Technol. 2020, 137, 109515.

7. “Application of Acetyl-CoA Synthetase from Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus to Non-Native Substrates.”  L.M.M. Mouterde and J.D. Stewart, Enz. Microb. Technol. 2019, 128, 67-71.

8. “Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Elevated Temperature on Zea mays Endosperm Development During Grain Fill.”  S.K. Boehlein, P. Liu, A. Webster, C. Ribeiro, M. Suzuki, S. Wu, J.-C. Guan, J.D. Stewart, W.F. Tracy, A.M. Settles, D.R. McCarty, K.E. Koch, L.C. Hannah, T.A. Hennen-Bierwagen and A.M. Myers, Plant J. 2019, 99, 23-40.

Honors and Awards

1. Colonel Allan R. and Margaret G. Crow Term Professor of Chemistry (2014 – 2015).

2. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Teaching Award (2015 – 2016).

3. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Teaching Award (2012 – 2013).

4. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Teaching Award (2009 – 2010).

5. Howard Hughes Medical Institute Distinguished Mentor Award (2006 – 2007).

6. 2006 Biocat Prize, International Congress on Biocatalysis.

7. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellow (2006).

8. Camille and Henry Dreyfus New Faculty awardee (1991 – 1994).

The “Other” Jon Stewart

If you were looking for the former host of The Daily Show and landed here by mistake, this is the “other” Jon Stewart. Apart from his being younger, better looking and much wealthier, even our mothers have a hard time telling the two of us apart.