Presentation

Group Leader : Yvain Nicolet, recipient of the Dr and Mme Henri Labbé Prize

Metals lie at the heart of chemical processes that are at the origin of life, explaining their crucial role in the function of numerous important proteins. Their specific properties enable catalytic processes that proteins alone cannot achieve. Conversely, these properties may be tuned by the protein environment offering unique reactivity beyond synthetic compounds. The Metalloproteins Unit explores these critical roles in biology.

The Metalloproteins Unit focuses on understanding the structure-function relationships of oxygen-sensitive metalloenzymes. Using X-ray crystallography and/or single particle cryogenic electron microscopy, combined with computational methods, we primarily investigate iron-sulfur cluster-containing enzymes that play crucial roles in bioenergetic primary metabolism, the biosynthesis of (metallo)-cofactors or the production of antibiotics. The majority of the investigated proteins are very sensitive to oxygen, necessitating their study under anaerobic conditions inside glove boxes. Consequently, we continue to develop methodological approaches to enable access to cutting-edge structural biology techniques in an oxygen-free environment, with the specific aim of exploring the dynamic aspects of the processes we study.

Specialized techniques and available services

Manipulations under controlled atmospheres using glove boxes for anaerobic cell growth, protein purification, manual crystallization, automated crystallization, crystal manipulation and automated crystal visualization, cryo-EM sample preparation.