Early Stage Researcher: Natasha Giannopoulou, EMBL Hamburg

Work Place		Home Country
Germany		Greece

The title of Natasha’s project: Structure analysis of proteins involved in peroxisome proliferation

Natasha will perform structure analysis of protein complexes involved in peroxisome proliferation, in collaboration with Evitra (Stockholm), with focus on complexes of full length Pex3 and Pex19, including possible covalent modifications (farnesylation). In addition,the structures of fission proteins in complex with other proteins will be analyzed using proteins from different organisms (human, Arabidopsis thaliana, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Hansenula polymorpha). Stable complexes will be tested by static and dynamic light scattering and subjected to low-resolution structure determination. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of complex formation will be performed by isothermal titration calorimetry. Proteins/protein complexes that yield reasonably pure and monodisperse samples will be subjected to crystal screening. In collaboration with the University of Heidelberg the student will be involved in the prediction of protein complexes and mutant design. During a secondment at the University of Bochum, Natasha will contribute to the functional analysis of one of these mutants.

Part of the research will be performed at the University of Bochum and Evitra (Stockholm).

Supervisor: Dr. Matthias Wilmanns (matthias.wilmanns@embl-hamburg.de)

Co-supervisor: Prof. Michael Schrader, University of Exeter, UK

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES:

Poster presentations:

a.     OEMP2014 conference in Neuss (Germany), 9.-11.9.2014, poster title: ”Peroxisome Biogenesis: Structural Characterisation of the Pex3-Pex19- Cargo interactions”

b.       PERFUME Kick-off conference in Groningen (The Netherlands), 2.-4.12.2013, poster title: “Structural Characterisation of Pex3p-Pex19p-Cargo Ternary Complex”

For further information and interest, please contact:

Natasha Giannopoulou

EMBL Hamburg

Notkestraße 85

22607

Hamburg

Germany

Email: n.giannopoulou@embl-hamburg.de

Phone: +49 04089902160