Southern Germany cryo-EM BAG: Structural analysis of protein machineries using single particle cryo-EM

Single particle electron cryomicroscopy (Cryo-EM) has become the method of choice for determining the structure of large macromolecular complexes and membrane proteins, which were previously particularly difficult to study using X-ray crystallography. In recent years, this method has also proved useful for the structure determination of smaller proteins such as GPCRs or transporters. In this BAG, we will use the state-of-the-art cryo-EM facility at ESRF to determine the structures of complicated protein machineries including large multi-subunit complexes, protein-nucleic acid complexes and membrane protein complexes. Our projects will contribute to a better understanding of essential cellular processes such as energy conversion and cellular respiration, nitrate and ammonium metabolism, ribosome and ribosome-associated functions, and DNA damage repair and maintenance mechanisms.

单颗粒冷冻电子显微镜（Cryo-EM）现已成为解析大型大分子复合物与膜蛋白结构的首选方法，这类生物分子此前借助X射线晶体学（X-ray crystallography）开展研究时往往极具挑战。近年来，该技术也被证实可用于解析G蛋白偶联受体（GPCRs）、转运蛋白等小型蛋白质的结构。在本次BAG项目中，我们将依托欧洲同步辐射装置（ESRF）的顶尖冷冻电镜设施，解析复杂蛋白质机器的结构，涵盖大型多亚基复合物、蛋白-核酸复合物以及膜蛋白复合物。本项目将助力我们更深入地认知核心细胞生命过程，包括能量转换与细胞呼吸、硝酸盐与铵盐代谢、核糖体及其相关功能，以及DNA损伤修复与维持机制。