Biochemistry and Structural Biology

Scientific Head/Coordinator
RIZZI Menico

Activities and skills

Biochemical/structural analysis of proteins and enzymes of medical and industrial interest.

Technological Resources

Recombinant DNA technology; protein expression in high yield heterologous systems (bacteria, yeast); protein purification by FPLC chromatography; biochemical and kinetic characterization of enzymes (HPLC; spectrophotometry; thermal stability study); biophysical analysis of protein-protein and protein-ligand interaction (surface plasmon resonance); site-specific mutagenesis and protein evolution; manual and robotic crystallization of biological macromolecules; determination and analysis of 3D structure of macromolecules by X-ray crystallography and cryoelectron microscopy (cryoEM).

 
Basic instrumentation for molecular biology and biochemistry laboratory; thermostatically controlled high-capacity orbital shakers for cell culture (bacteria, yeast); maxi-centrifuges; instrumentation and media for FPLC and HPLC; spectrophotometer; Biacore X100; thermocyclers for real-time PCR; robotic system for high throughput set-up and analysis of crystallization assays; cold-light and UV-lamp stereomicroscope for crystal observation; systems for handling and transporting crystals in cryogenics; regular access to synchrotron sites for high-resolution diffraction data collection (Grenoble, Hamburg, Zurich, Trieste); regular access to data collection platforms in cryoelectron microscopy (ESRF, NYSBC, UNIMI).

ERC Sector

LS1, LS6

Team members 

• ROSSI Franca
• GARAVAGLIA Silvia
• FERRARIS Davide Maria
• MIGGIANO Riccardo
• ALBERTI Marta (postdoc)
• MAZZOLETTI Daniele (PhD student)
• GENTA Marianna (PhD student)
• SIRAGUSA Sonia (PhD student)
• FERRARA Giulia (PhD student)
• LEONCINI Matteo (PhD student)
• BUTTICÈ Andrea (research fellow)
• TESTORI Fabio (research fellow)
• JURETICH Francesca (research fellow)