Diana Constantinescu Aruxandei
The aim of this project is to investigate the structure and mechanism of the members of the transcription factor TFIIH complex, mainly the DNA helicases, XPD and XPB. We use homologues of human helicases originating from archaea and purify them from E. coli. The main techniques used within the project are crystallography, EPR (DEER/PELDOR and CW EPR, in collaboration with Olav Schiemann) and (in collaboration with Malcolm White and Carlos Penedo-Esteiro) single molecule FRET. We study the conformational changes induced by DNA and/or ATP (ADP) binding and the mechanism of DNA unwinding.
A. MTSSL spin labeled SacXPD for PELDOR
B. PELDOR measurement of the spin labeled SacXPD: experimental dipolar evolution after background correction (black) and the corresponding fit (red)
C. Crystals of TacXPD