Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Graduate Program

Nucleic Acids Biochemistry

Shown is a schematic summary of macronuclear development in E. crassus. Macronuclear-destined sequences are shown as black rectangles, telomeres as hatched boxes, and IESs as ovals – see Lawrence Klobutcher.

Structural Biology

Shown is the recent NMR solution structure of the human XRCC1 NTD repair protein (left, 1xna at the PDB) and a mechanism for interaction with a human DNA polymerase beta-DNA complex (right, 1bpy at the PDB).

Computational Biology and Biophysics

The p16 protein is a cyclin dependent protein kinase inhibitor and a tumor suppressor. The p16 structure (1BI7 from the PDB) consists of four ankyrin repeats. Based on a computational analysis (bottom image) of the autonomous folding units in p16, a C-terminal fragment (p16C) in red containing only two ankyrin repeats (top image) has been identified and shown by expression cloning, fragment production, and biophysical characterization, to fold into a native-like structure. The plot shows the Z-score (the higher the better for predicted complete folding) for all possible peptide fragments that have the Y-axis value as the N-terminal residue of the fragment and the X-axis value as the C-terminal residue.

Protein Biochemistry

Model of the protein architecture of the outer dynein arm showing approximate positions of constituent light chains (LCs) and intermediate chains (ICs) – see Stephen King.

Cell Biology

Expression of Connexin 32-GFP fusion protein in oligodendrocytes. Oligodendrocytes in culture were microinjected with RNA encoding a Cx32-GFP fusion protein. The expressed protein was visualized by confocal microscopy. The red indicates the distribution of Texas Red dextran that was co-injected as a cytoplasmic marker. The green indicates the distribution of Cx32-GFP fusion protein in numerous small clusters throughout the cell. Experimental details are described in Tedford et al. (1997) – see John Carson.

Microbial Physiology/Pathogenesis

Colocalization by immunofluorescence of a major vegetative cell chromosomal protein (HBsu) with major spore DNA binding proteins (SASP) in the developing spore (shown by the arrow)  of Bacillus subtilis – see Peter Setlow.