Biochemistry Seminar

Abstract: Recent advances in single-molecule imaging technologies have made it possible to study gene expression dynamics at unprecedented resolution. In this talk, I will describe two projects that use this technology to visualize, quantify, and model gene expression at different levels. The first project involves the study of RNAP2 phosphorylation at a single-copy gene. Here, I combined three-color fluorescent microscopy with antibody-based probes that bind the different phosphorylated forms of endogenous RNAP2.

Abstract: A distinguishing feature of the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria is the presence of an outer membrane, which is highly impermeable to antibiotics. Transmembrane -barrel proteins embedded in the outer membrane are responsible for establishing this permeability barrier. Folding and integration of -barrels into the outer membrane are facilitated by the conserved protein complex -barrel assembly machine (BAM).

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A115 Butcher Auditorium
Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building (JSCBB)
3415 Colorado Ave.
Boulder, CO 80303

Abstract: Pregnancy complications like preeclampsia and preterm birth pose huge risks to fetal and maternal long-term health and a large financial burden. Here, I will describe the development 3 liquid biopsy tests that measure cell-free RNA (cfRNA) to monitor prenatal health and predict risk of pregnancy complications long before symptoms manifest. This work paves the way for affordable, simple, and reliable tests for preeclampsia and preterm delivery – risks that no other test can presently diagnose early enough to allow for meaningful clinical intervention.

Abstract: The dynamical properties of proteins are critical for their function and are often perturbed in disease. Despite this knowledge, developing chemical probes that explicitly target protein dynamics is challenging, and therapeutic molecules that alter protein dynamics are often discovered serendipitously. However, all living organisms contain a dedicated class of proteins, termed molecular chaperones, that specifically regulate protein folding and dynamics to prevent pathological outcomes.

Lab Website: https://www.fitzpatrick-lab.org/
Synopsis: Works with Cryo-EM to understand the structural basis of neurodegeneration and memory (amyloid fibres) as well as understanding protein aggregation. The Fitzpatrick lab has worked extensively on Alzheimers and more recently with the homotypic fibrillization of TMEM106B using light microscopy and Cryo-EM.
 

Join via Zoom – Meeting ID: 990 6827 9558 | Password: BCHM2022

Lab Website: https://research.cbc.osu.edu/wysocki.11/

Lab Website: https://wolberger.med.jhmi.edu 

Synopsis: The Wolberger lab is researching the role of ubiquitination in regulating transcription and the DNA damage response as well as how cross-talk between ubiquitination and other post-translational modifications regulates chromatin activity. They use a combination of x-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and a variety of biophysical and biochemical approaches to gain insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying these processes.
 

Lab Website: https://web.stanford.edu/group/prakash-lab/cgi-bin/labsite/