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Protein Crystallography PhD Studentship


Applications are invited for BBSRC PhD studentships (3-yr) to start in
October 2006. The award is available for UK candidates or resident EU.
The ideal candidate should have a solid undergraduate background in molecular 
biology, protein
biochemistry and/or biophysics.


Structural biology of novel RNA binding proteins

Novel protein GURB was recently identified as an RNA binding protein and a 
potential translational regulator of cell cycle controlling proteins in Xenopus 
oocytes by Cornelia de Moor's laboratory. The protein has turned up in several 
other proteomic studies that analysed RNP complexes, including in mRNA 
transport particles in neurons (de Hoog et al., 2004). GURB homologues have not 
been functionally charcterised in any species, but the protein is unusually 
well conserved (~50% identity) amongst animals and bacteria, including human 
and E. coli, suggesting an important role in cell physiology. GURB lacks any of 
the known RNA binding domains. The structural characterisation of GURB will 
lead to the description of a new RNA binding domain, defining a novel protein 
family. The work done on this project will contribute to the study of the 
function of GURB that is part of the Wellcome project currently active in Dr. 
de Moor's laboratory. Translational control is currently a very f!
 ast moving field, especially the translational control at synapses and in the 
cell cycle (Huang and Richter, 2004), and this work could bring a new dimension 
to it. 
This research area requires a multidisciplinary approach, and uses cell 
biological, biochemical techniques in conjunction with X-ray crystallography 
(http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~pazxtal/). Phd students are provided with the 
opportunity to attend external training courses for developing skills in 
crystallographic methodology (usually hosted by the synchrotron organisation in 
Grenoble). 

Facilities available include a protein crystallization laboratory 
fully-equipped with X-ray data collection and crystallisation robot etc.



yours jonas

Dr Jonas Emsley
Reader in Crystallography,
Centre for Biomolecular Sciences,
University of Nottingham,
Nottingham, NG72RD
tel: 01158467092
fax:01158468002
email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~pazxtal/
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~pazweb2/lookup/roles/acad_admin/EmsleyJ.phtml



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