Establishing of a joint X-ray crystallographic pipeline for structural analysis of membrane transporters

• Grant number: 14/50241-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2015
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics
• Agreement: University of Birmingham
• Principal Investigator: Igor Polikarpov
• Grantee: Igor Polikarpov
• Principal researcher abroad: Vassiliy Bavro
• Institution abroad: University of Birmingham, England
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/52840-7 - Center of Biological and Industrial Processes for Biofuels - CeProBIO, AP.BIOEN.TEM

Abstract

Gram-negative bacteria prossess a double cell membrane which provides them with extra layer of protection and complicates delivery of therapeutics and substrates for fermentation. Thus understanding of their cell envelop in molecular detail is essential to our ability to exploit their weaknesses for medical applications and to increase biofuel efficiency, however this has been hindered by the difficulty in studying membrane protein targets. So far X-ray crystallography of membrane proteins was inaccessible in Brazil. This Project capitalizes on the expertise of the two leading groups at University of Birmingham (UoB) and University of São Paulo (USP) to address this gap and aims for the first time establish a specialized, collaborative membrane-protein structural pipeline, which will be of great benefit to both institutions. (AU)