Project description
Revealing the activation of glycyl radical enzymes
Glycyl radical enzymes (GREs) catalyse a wealth of biochemical reactions in anaerobic microorganisms and in the human body. They are responsible for many types of radical-based chemical reactions in diverse metabolic pathways: DNA synthesis, acid fermentation, and the anaerobic metabolism of pollutants, for instance. Characterising their mechanism of activation which requires the formation of a protein-protein activation complex with small GRE-activating enzymes (AEs) is quite challenging due to their sensitivity to the presence of oxygen. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the GREAM project aims to combine biochemical and biophysical studies assisted by cryo-electron microscopy (EM) and X-ray crystallography to solve the anaerobic cryo-EM structure of an important GRE:AE holocomplex.
Objective
Glycyl radical enzymes (GREs) are one of the most prominent biological catalysts in both strict and facultative anaerobes. They are responsible for a broad range of radical-based chemistry and catalyse reactions involved in diverse metabolic pathways such as acid fermentation, DNA synthesis and the anaerobic metabolism of pollutants. GREs are activated by members of the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) radical family. Activation of GREs requires the formation of a protein-protein activation complex with the small GRE-AE. All known structures of GREs show that a major conformational change very likely occurs during the glycyl radical generation upon interaction with the GRE-AE. Only a structure of a GRE:AE holocomplex would shed light on the unprecedented conformational changes involved in GRE activation. Glycyl radicals and iron-sulfur clusters are extremely oxygen sensitive, rendering the proteins challenging to work with.
GREAM will narrow a significant knowledge gap by studying the anaerobic class III RNR natural fusion (NrdD:NrdG). In order to study the mechanism of activation, GREAM will use an integrative research approach combining biochemical, biophysical and cryo-EM – assisted by X-ray crystallography.
With my experience in anaerobic protein characterisation and crystallisation, I will join the Fontecave lab to build up on their experience in spectroscopic characterisation of oxygen-sensitive protein complexes and achieve the first aim or GREAM. During a secondment in the Logan lab, who are expert in structural characterisation of aRNRs and have a long lasting collaboration with the host, I will solve the anaerobic cryo-EM structure of the NrdD:NrdG holocomplex and achieve the final goal of GREAM.
This newly established international collaboration will permit combining integrative approaches to successfully answer all GREAM’s questions and allow me to acquire invaluable experience in my future career.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology mineralogy crystallography
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology bioprocessing technologies fermentation
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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75005 Paris
France
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