Organizer: Prof. José María Valpuesta Moralejo - JMV

Group of "Structure and function of molecular chaperones" 

Departamento de Estructura de Macromoléculas

Centro Nacional de Biotecnología

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas

C/ Darwin, 3

Campus de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

28049 Madrid, España

Telf.: +34 915854690

Fax: +34 915854506

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Group of "Structure and function of molecular chaperones":

Our main line of work deals with the structural and functional characterisation of different molecular chaperones, and their interaction in the protein folding and degradation assembly pathways. Using different biochemical and biophysical techniques, but above all electron microscopy and image processing, we have been working with chaperones like CCT, Hsp110, Hsp90, Hsp70, Hsp40, nucleoplasmin, … and with some of their cochaperones like PFD, PhLP, Hop, Hip and CHIP. We have sructurally characterised different complexes formed by these chaperones and their cochaperones that form part of the various assembly lines involved in protein homeostasis.

The same techniques described above are used to study other proteins and macromolecular complexes such as different amyloids, RNA processing proteins and centrosomal proteins. Additionally, we are involved in the study of different centrosomal and ciliary components using other microscopy techniques like electron and X-ray tomography. Finally, we are working in the development of single-molecule techniques such as optical tweezers, collaborating with other groups in the characterisation of the mechanical properties of long polymers like DNA and RNA, and in the mechanochemistry of the DNA polymerase from phage Ø29.

 Relevant publication in the last five years:

- S. Alvira, J. Cuéllar, A. Röhl, S. Yamamoto, H. Ito, C. Alfonso, G. Rivas, J. Buchner, J. M. Valpuesta. “Structural characterization of the substrate transfer mechanism in Hsp70/Hsp90 folding machinery mediated by Hop“ Nat. Comm. (in press).

- A. García-Trinidad, P. Muller, J. Cuellar, M. Klejnot, J.M. Valpuesta, K.H. Vousden(2013) “Interaction of p53 with the CCT complex promotes protein folding and wild type p53 activity” Mol Cell. 50, 805-817.

- R. Arranz, R. Coloma, J. Chichón, J.J. Conesa, J. L. Carrascosa, J. M. Valpuesta, J. Ortín and J. Martín-Benito (2012) “The structure of native influenza virion ribonucleoproteins” Science 338,1634-1637. (seleccionado por la “Faculty of 1000”).

- A. Peña, K. Gewartowski, S. Mroczek, J. Cuéllar, A. Szykowska, A. Prokop, M. Czarnocki-Cieciura, J. Piwowarski, C. Tous, A. Aguilera, J. L. Carrascosa, J. M. Valpuesta* y A. Dziembowski* (2012) “Structural and biochemical characterisation of the THO complex reveals its architecture and mechanism of nucleic acids recognition” EMBO Journal 31, 1605-1616.

- I. G. Muñoz, H. Yébenes, M. Zhou, P. Mesa, M. Serna, A.Y. Park, E. Bragado-Nilsson, A. Beloso, G. de Cárcer, M. Malumbres, C. V. Robinson, J. M. Valpuesta* y G. Montoya* (2011) “Crystal structure of the mammalian cytosolic chaperonin CCT in complex with tubulin” Nature Structural Molecular Biology 18, 14-19. (seleccionado por la “Faculty of 1000”)