A team of scientists, including many in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, uncovered new details about the reaction that powers photosynthesis. Understanding this reaction could lead to world-changing advances in technology, medicine, or energy––and also gives insight into how the enzyme photosystem II produces the oxygen we breathe. Their latest work was recently published in Nature Communications and two of the authors, Vittal Yachandra and Philipp Simon, spoke with Strategic Communications about that, shooting stuff with lasers, and why they chose this field of research.
New Technique Gets the Drop On Enzyme Reactions
As part of an international collaboration, researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the Diamond Light Source synchrotron facility, and Oxford and Bristol Universities in England have developed a novel sample delivery system that expands the limited toolkit for performing dynamic structural biology studies of enzyme catalysis, which have so far mostly been limited to a small number of light-driven enzymes.
Biosciences Area and Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division Leadership Changes
Mary Maxon, Associate Laboratory Director (ALD) for Biosciences, has been granted a one-year leave of absence to help advance science and technology opportunities for engineering biology and the U.S. bioeconomy. Beginning August 23, Maxon will work on temporary assignment with Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, as they launch a significant effort to seed the next wave of engineering biology and bioeconomy innovation.
Paul Adams, Director of the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division, has been asked by Lab Director Mike Witherell to serve as the ALD for Biosciences over the coming year. While Adams is serving as Biosciences ALD, MBIB Deputy for Science Junko Yano will take on the role of Interim MBIB Division Director; Greg Hura has agreed to step into the role of Interim MBIB Science Deputy; and Susan Tsutakawa will be the Interim Head of the Structural Biology Department for the coming year.
Women @ the Lab Awards
Four Biosciences employees were selected by Berkeley Lab leadership and the Women Scientists and Engineers Council (WSEC) for recognition as part of the 2020 Women @ the Lab awards. The biennial program, now in its fourth year, spotlights women at the Lab for meritorious professional contributions, leadership, mentorship, and outreach.
New Refinement Technique Promises Greater Protein Structure Accuracy
X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) came into use in 2010 for protein crystallography, allowing scientists to study fully hydrated specimens at room temperature without radiation damage. Researchers have developed many new experimental and computational techniques to optimize the technology and draw the most accurate picture of proteins from crystals. Now scientists in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division have developed a new program, diffBragg, which can process every pixel collected from an XFEL for a protein structure independently. In a recent IUCrJ paper, the team led by MBIB Senior Scientist Nicholas Sauter proposed a new processing framework for more accurate determination of protein structures.
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