Structural Biology Group
The Structural Biology group operates a world leading suite of synchrotron radiation beamlines dedicated to the study of biological macromolecules. The facility is comprised of three highly intense, tunable beamlines ID14-4, ID23-1 and ID29; two fixed wavelength beamlines ID14-1 and ID14-2; the world's first microfocus beamline dedicated to protein crystallography, ID23-2, and a protein solution scattering beamline ID14-3. The evolution of the facility, in the context of the ESRF upgrade, is encompassed within UPBL10/MASSIF. This facility will have at its core three beam-lines optimised for highly automated, high-throughput sample evaluation.
Research Highlight
The structure of DNA-PKcs. Proteins are coloured by chain. This low resolution (dmin = 6.6 Å) structure provides the first description of the tertiary and quaternary structure of this important DNA binding protein. See Sibanda et al. Nature, 463, 118-121 (2010). The data were collected on ID29.
The structure of DNA-PKcs provides the first detailed image of an important DNA repair protein
Breaks in cellular DNA that arise from reactive oxygen species or ionising radiation can lead to broken chromosomes that in turn may lead to cancer. DNA dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) senses the breaks in DNA and transmits this information, via phosphorylation, to other enzymes that prevent the cell cycle continuing. The complex is very large and therefore obtaining crystals was challenging, over 2000 crystals were evaluated using the highly automated environment of the Structural Biology beamlines, and the best only diffracted X-rays to a resolution of 6.6 Å. At this resolution only the rough fold of the the DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) can be seen. However, the crystal structure has provided important information on the potential mechanism of DNA break recognition. Repeated helix-turn-helix motifs allow the protein to adopt a circular structure that may surround DNA and allow breaks to be repaired.
Data were collected on beamline ID29
Google map of the ESRF with useful locations
Scientific Output
Research performed at the ESRF produces over 20% of the protein structures submitted in the world and accounts for over 50% of those that come from Europe. To see a list of structures solved at the ESRF see the BIOSYNC website. In order to maintain the predominance of the ESRF in world science, a substantial upgrade programme is in progress; for more information about the upgrade please click here.
Associated Facilities
A number of laboratories and facilities are available to the community. Of particular interest is The Partnership for Structural Biology (PSB) which is a collaboration between ESRF, EMBL, ILL and IBS to bring together a set of complementary technologies for structural biology.