JILA postdoctoral researcher Brandon Dzuba stands next to his award-winning poster
JILA postdoc Brandon Dzuba has been honored with the best poster award at the 2024 Single Molecule Approaches to Biology Gordon Research Conference (GRC) in Maine. This international conference, known for its focus on cutting-edge and unpublished research, provides a platform for scientists of all career stages to present their work and engage in robust discussions.
Dzuba works in the laboratory of JILA Fellow, NIST Fellow, and University of Colorado Boulder Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Professor Thomas Perkins, looking at the biophysics of protein folding.
Dzuba's award-winning poster, titled “400 pN for over 40 min: the exceptional mechanical stability of a pathogenic protein-ligand interaction studied under constant load,” highlights his research on the mechanics of a protein used by Staphylococcus bacteria.
“Staphylococcus, the bacteria responsible for staph infections, utilizes specialized proteins to anchor itself inside the human body,” Dzuba explains. “Once these proteins bind with their human targets, such as fibrinogen, the resulting complexes can withstand forces near those required to break a covalent bond. However, the complex freely dissociates at low forces in under 30 seconds. Known as a catch-bond, these unique mechanics enhance the infectious capabilities of Staphylococcus and similar bacteria.”
Utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) force spectroscopy, Dzuba, Perkins, and other researchers investigate how these complexes transition from catch-bonds to slip-bonds and have recorded lifetimes exceeding 40 minutes under 400 piconewtons (pN) of force. One piconewton is a trillionth of a newton, showing the minute scale of force Dzuba and the other physicists are studying.
Reflecting on his achievement, Dzuba shares, “My PhD work focused on the dynamics of semiconductor materials growth by molecular beam epitaxy. Two years ago, I decided to make a huge transition and pursued a biophysics postdoc rather than a semiconductor industry career. Imposter syndrome is always persistent, especially when transitioning into a brand-new field. While I still have a lot of work to do, this award has internally validated my decision to transition from semiconductor materials growth to biophysics, motivating me to excel further in this new field.”
Looking ahead, Dzuba aims to explore the catch-bond to slip-bond transition at physiologically relevant temperatures.
“As always, we will push the boundaries of AFM stability, resolution, and accuracy to investigate interesting biological systems with AFM force spectroscopy,” Dzuba adds.
This recognition at the Single Molecule Approaches to Biology GRC highlights Dzuba's innovative research and underscores the conference's collaborative spirit and scientific excellence.
Written by Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, JILA Science Communicator