Research: Projects
Structure and Function of myo-Inositol Polyphosphatases (IPPases)
Phosphorylated myo-inositols serve as cofactors and signal transduction molecules in eucaryotic organisms.
Unfortunately, most phosphorylated myo-inositols are commercially unavailable or prohibitively expensive. To address
this shortcoming, we are bioengineering a number of IPPases in order to produce specific phosphorylated
myo-inositols in a cost effective (and environmentally friendly) manner.
Several IPPases are known virulence factors that facilitate the infection of agricultural crops. In this project, we are
determining the 3D structure of one or more IPPase that are known virulence factors. This information will be used to rationally
design and test inhibitors that can protect agriculture crops from infection.
Structure and Function of archaeal Box CD Ribonucleoproteins
Box CD Ribonucleoproteins are responsible for the majority of post-transcription RNA methylation. Box CD Ribonucleoproteins contain
a variable Box CD small RNA and multiple copies of three distinct protein subunits. In this work, we are studying the assembly of
the Box CD Ribonucleoprotein at the molecular level in order to understand how the variability of Box CD small RNAs affects
the structure and function of the resulting Ribonucleoprotein.
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