Keywords:
Bioinorganic Chemistry
Biomodelling
Biomolecular NMR spectroscopy
Metallo-chaperons
Urease
X-ray absorption spectroscopy
Nickel
Biochemical metal trafficking
Enzymatic catalysis
Biocrystallography
The main interest of my research activity is the elucidation of the
role of metals found in biomolecules. The final goal is the
identification of the molecular structure of the active site of
metallo-enzymes, and the elucidation of structure-function
relationships. The objective is to determine how the
chemistry of the metal ion is modulated by the protein matrix, and
thus to determine the mode of interaction with the substrate or
with other proteins.
Proteins from bacteria living in waters and soils are purified, and
their biochemical characterization is performed. Then, by applying
sophisticated physical methods such as mono- and multidimensional
NMR spectroscopy, EPR, Mössbauer, circular dichroism, magnetic
susceptibility, bioelectrochemistry, X-ray spectroscopy (EXAFS),
Raman and crystallography the structure of the active site is
elucidated at the molecular level. Subsequently, mechanistic
studies of the protein-substrate or protein-protein interactions
are carried out using classic kinetic measurements or, for the
photosynthesis-related projects, laser-induced rapid transient
kinetics. Molecular mechanics and dynamics are used to model
protein-substrate and protein-protein interactions. On-going
research projects involve the biochemistry of metallo-enzymes
involved in the nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur cycles in the
environment, and the biochemistry of photosynthesis.