Research in Drug Development (RD3)

Microbiology, Bioorganic and Macromolecular Chemistry

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The goals of my research are to provide new insight into protein structure and function, and to decipher how proteins interact together and with other molecules, particularly with pharmacologically active molecules.

Top ten recent articles

UDP-galactose and acetyl-CoA transporters as Plasmodium multidrug resistance genes.

Lim, M. Y. X., LaMonte, G., Lee, M. C. S., Reimer, C., Tan, B. H., Corey, V., Tjahjadi, B. F., Chua, A., Nachon, M., Wintjens, R., Gedeck, P., Malleret, B., Renia, L., Bonamy, G. M. C., Ho, P. C.-L., Yeung, B. K. S., Chow, E. D., Lim, L., Fidock, D. A., Diagana, T. T., Winzeler, E. A., & Bifani, P. (2016). UDP-galactose and acetyl-CoA transporters as Plasmodium multidrug resistance genes. Nature microbiology, 16166. doi:10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.166  

 

High-resolution structure of a papaya plant-defence barwin-like protein solved by in-house sulfur-SAD phasing

Huet, J., Mbosso, E. J. T., Soror, S. H., Meyer, F., Looze, Y., Wintjens, R., & Wohlkonig, A. (2013). High-resolution structure of a papaya plant-defence barwin-like protein solved by in-house sulfur-SAD phasing. Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography, 69(10), 2017. doi:10.1107/S0907444913018015  

 

Discovery of Q203, a potent clinical candidate for the treatment of tuberculosis.

Pethe, K., Bifani, P., Jang, J., Kang, S., Park, S., Ahn, S., Jiricek, J., Jung, J., Jeon, H. K., Cechetto, J., Christophe, T., Lee, H., Kempf, M., Jackson, M., Lenaerts, A. J., Pham, H. O., Jones, V., Seo, M. J., Kim, Y. M., Seo, M., Seo, J. J., Park, D., Ko, Y., Choi, I., Kim, R., Kim, S. Y., Lim, S., Yim, S.-A., Nam, J., Kang, H., Kwon, H., Oh, C.-T., Cho, Y., Jang, Y., Kim, J., Chua, A., Tan, B. H., Nanjundappa, M. B., Rao, S. P. S., Barnes, W. S., Wintjens, R., Walker, J. R., Alonso, S., Lee, S., Kim, J., Oh, S., Oh, T., Nehrbass, U., Han, S.-J., No, Z., Lee, J., Brodin, P., Cho, S.-N., Nam, K., & Kim, J. (2013). Discovery of Q203, a potent clinical candidate for the treatment of tuberculosis. Nature medicine, 19(9), 1157-1160. doi:10.1038/nm.3262  

 

Periplasmic domain of the sensor-kinase BvgS reveals a new paradigm for the Venus flytrap mechanism.

Herrou, J., Bompard, C., Wintjens, R., Dupré, E., Willery, E., Villeret, V., Locht, C., Antoine, R., & Jacob-Dubuisson, F. (2010). Periplasmic domain of the sensor-kinase BvgS reveals a new paradigm for the Venus flytrap mechanism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(40), 17351-17355. doi:10.1073/pnas.1006267107  

 

Structural relationships in the lysozyme superfamily: significant evidence for glycoside hydrolase signature motifs.

Wohlkonig, A., Huet, J., Looze, Y., & Wintjens, R. (2010). Structural relationships in the lysozyme superfamily: significant evidence for glycoside hydrolase signature motifs. PloS one, 5(11), 15388. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015388  

 

X-ray structure of papaya chitinase reveals the substrate binding mode of glycosyl hydrolase family 19 chitinases.

Huet, J., Rucktooa, P., Clantin, B., Azarkan, M., Looze, Y., Villeret, V., & Wintjens, R. (2008). X-ray structure of papaya chitinase reveals the substrate binding mode of glycosyl hydrolase family 19 chitinases. Biochemistry, 47(32), 8283-8291. doi:10.1021/bi800655u  

 

Crystal structure of papaya glutaminyl cyclase, an archetype for plant and bacterial glutaminyl cyclases.

Wintjens, R., Belrhali, H., Clantin, B., Azarkan, M., Bompard, C., Volant-Baeyens, D., Looze, Y., & Villeret, V. (2006). Crystal structure of papaya glutaminyl cyclase, an archetype for plant and bacterial glutaminyl cyclases. Journal of Molecular Biology, 357(2), 457-470. doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2005.12.029  

 

Specificity and phenetic relationships of iron- and manganese-containing superoxide dismutases on the basis of structure and sequence comparisons.

Wintjens, R., Noël, C., May, A. C. W., Gerbod, D., Dufernez, F., Capron, M., Viscogliosi, E., & Rooman, M. (2004). Specificity and phenetic relationships of iron- and manganese-containing superoxide dismutases on the basis of structure and sequence comparisons. The Journal of biological chemistry, 279(10), 9248-9254. doi:10.1074/jbc.M312329200  

 

Cation-pi/H-bond stair motifs at protein-DNA interfaces

Rooman, M., Liévin, J., Buisine, E., & Wintjens, R. (2002). Cation-pi/H-bond stair motifs at protein-DNA interfaces. Journal of Molecular Biology, 319(1), 67-76. doi:10.1016/S0022-2836(02)00263-2  

 

Contribution of cation-pi interactions to the stability of protein-DNA complexes

Wintjens, R., Liévin, J., Rooman, M., & Buisine, E. (2000). Contribution of cation-pi interactions to the stability of protein-DNA complexes. Journal of Molecular Biology, 302(2), 395-410.