Document Actions
Example research projects
X-ray facility projects carried out in collaboration with other Penn State faculty.
Structures of proteins in T4 replisome (Benkovic Lab)
We are working on the crystallization of several proteins of importance to T4 DNA replication. This includes:
- T4 phage primase and its mutants with and without DNA
- helicase protein from T4 Phage
- complex of primase and helicase
- complex of Pol31 and Pol32 and two of the subunits of the DNA polymerase Pol delta.
Many of these protein complexes have been attempted in other labs and are very difficult to crystallize.
Crystal structure of Expansin (Cosgrove lab)
We have solved the crystal structure of Expansin, a protein that loosens cell walls. It is made up of two domains.
- Domain 1 is structurally homologous to family-45 endoglucanase, but lacks a key catalytic Asp.
- Domain 2 is a β-sandwich very similar to group-2/3 allergens.
Domains 1 & 2 line up to form an open surface that likely binds a xylan (8-10 residues). This work was chosen to be a cover story in PNAS. Our next effort is to solve the structure in complex with a polysaccharide.
Crystals of Beta 2 toxin (Jayarao lab)
Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive sporulating anaerobic bacterium that is responsible for a wide spectrum of diseases in animals and humans. beta2-toxin is a 28 kDa exotoxin produced by C. perfringens. It is implicated in necrotic enteritis, a disease characterized by a sudden acute onset with lethal hemorrhagic mucosal ulceration.
The crystallization of beta2-toxin using the batch-under-oil technique was successfully performed at our facility.