Sara Zipfel

Abstract

Nitrate reduction, the first step of denitrification in the nitrogen cycle, is done by the Nar, Nas or Nap system in bacteria. [1] The Nap system from E.coli contains seven genes, napFDAGHBC. [2] Former studies have shown that only napABCD are essential for nitrate reduction whereas napFGH are not essential. [3] However, EcNapF, a [4Fe-4S] containing chaperone located in the cytoplasm, and the putative ubiquinol oxidase EcNapGH are essential for electron transfer from the ubiquinol pool. [4]

Aim of this project is to get new insights into potential electron transfer pathways in the Nap system from E.coli by structural and functional analysis of the ubiquinol oxidase EcNapGH.

References

[1] Einsle, O., Kroneck, P.M. Biol.Chem. 2004 10 875 – 883.
[2] Brondijk, T.H.C. et al. Biochem. J. Chem. 2004 379 47 – 55.
[3] Potter, L.C. & Cole, J.A. Biochem. J. 1999 344 69 – 76.
[4] Brondijk, T.H.C. et al. Molecular Microbiology 2002 44 245 – 255.

Methods

Molecular biology (PCR, cloning), Protein production and purification, Membrane protein purification, Protein crystallization and Cryo-EM

Publications

Müller, C., Zhang, L., Zipfel, S. et al. Molecular interplay of an assembly machinery for nitrous oxide reductase. Nature 608, 626–631 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05015-2