Structural Biochemistry Lab

Structural Biochemistry

Engineering - Quota 150

Responsible Prof. Andrea Antonino Scirè

Research Activity

The research activity is focused on the structural-functional relationships in soluble and membrane proteins. Circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are the main spectroscopic techniques used to study the protein structure.

Structural/functional characterization and potential applications of lipocalins, a family of proteins able to bind small hydrophobic molecules
Caratterizzazione strutturale/funzionale e potenziali applicazioni delle lipocaline, proteine leganti piccole molecole idrofobiche Caratterizzazione strutturale/funzionale e potenziali applicazioni delle lipocaline, proteine leganti piccole molecole idrofobiche
Studies on the stability, aggregation and fibrillation of amyloidogenic proteins
Studi di stabilità, di aggregazione e fibrillazione di proteine amiloidogeniche
Interaction of proteins with exogenous and biologically active molecules
Interazione di proteine con molecole esogene ad attività biologica Interazione di proteine con molecole esogene ad attività biologica
Interaction of proteins with biological model membranes
Interazione di proteine con membrane biologiche modello Interazione di proteine con membrane biologiche modello

 

Equipment

Perkin-Elmer 1760-X FT-IR spectrometer

 

With DTGS detector and SPECTRUM software for data acquisition and analysis. The spectrometer is equipped with an air-dryer and a thermostated cell.

spettrometro FT-IR Perkin-Elmer, Mod. 1760-X
Nicolet NEXUS FT-IR Spectrometer
equipped with DTGS and MCT detectors, air-dryer, thermostated cell, OMNIC and GRAMS32 softwares and  "rapid scan" to obtain spectra in microseconds scale.  spettrometro FT-IR Nicolet NEXUS
The Nicolet NEXUS FT-IR Spectrometer i salso equipped with:
(a) ATR (attenuated total reflectance) for liquid, gel and solid samples analysis and (b) "grazing angle" accessory (specular reflectance) for the analysis of thin films on surfaces ATR (attenuated total reflectance) e "grazing angle accessory" (specular reflectance) ATR (attenuated total reflectance) e "grazing angle accessory" (specular reflectance)
A diamond anvil cell for measurements of biological samples at high pressures.
cella a diamante (diamond anvil cell) cella a diamante (diamond anvil cell) cella a diamante (diamond anvil cell)
in the Lab are also available
A JASCO J-500 Circular dicroism spectrometer spettrometro di dicroismo circolare Jasco Mod. J-500A
UV-VIS spectrophotometers
vari spettrofotometri UV-VIS
Two spectrofluorometers equipped with polarizers and thermostated cell
spettrofluorimetri corredati di polarizzatori e di celle termostatate

Staff

Prof. Andrea Antonino Scirè

tel. 071 2204662

mail a.a.scire@univpm.it