Welcome to the North Carolina State University Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry.

May's Research Highlight

Dr. Flora Meilleur

The Meilleur laboratory is interested in biophysical chemistry of proteins, focusing on structure and function relationship. The Meilleur laboratory combines high resolution X-ray and neutron crystallography to analyze the chemistry that underpining biomolecule function from their atomic structures. Dr. Meilleur is specifically interested in cytochrome P450s, one of the most versatile biological catalysts. Cytochromes P450 (P450s) are ubiquitous enzymes catalyzing monooxygenation reactions and playing diverse functional roles in a broad range of biological system. In mammals they are involved in a variety of biochemical processes including carcinogenesis, drug metabolism, biosynthesis of lipids and steroids or degradation of xenobiotics. The enhanced visibility of hydrogen and of its deuterium isotope in neutron protein structures suggests that neutron protein crystallography can provide critical information to further characterize the proton transfer critical in P450 catalyzed reactions. 

The figure shows the neutron structure of a small iron protein, rubredoxin. The protein was deuterated to enhance the visibility of the hydrogen/deuterium atoms in the experimental neutron maps. Individual deuterium atoms position can be visualized on the protein backbone, side chains and ordered water molecules. 

To learn more about research in Dr Meilleur's laboratory visit her  home page