“Tracking molecular motions in proteins using conventional and advanced X-ray crystallography techniques”
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Date and Time
4:00 PM – Friday, May 21, 2025
Location
Hybrid (Zoom and KEK CryoEM building)
Speakers:
Swagatha Ghosh
Designated Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Physics, Nagoya
University (Japan)
Abstract
X-ray crystallography remains one of the most widely used and well-established structural biology techniques for obtaining high-resolution, atomic-level structures of macromolecules. While most X-ray crystallography proteins structures till date emerge from single crystals shot at cryogenic temperatures, and automation techniques have immensely increased their utilization, these conventional methods have certain drawbacks. Requirement of large crystals and screening for suitable cryo-protectants could limit structural studies of proteins at physiologically relevant conditions and triggering reaction for real-time dynamical information. Recently, advancements of serial X-ray crystallography techniques with micro-focused beams and faster detectors have allowed structure determination from (sub)micron- sized crystals at room-temperature and deciphering molecular mechanisms triggered with light or chemical stimulus. This technology hence allows generating ‘molecular movies’ by capturing different transient states of a protein’s reaction cycle.
In my talk, I will give an overview of my research on several soluble and membrane protein systems with exciting properties and utilization of various X-ray crystallography techniques for elucidating their molecular mechanisms. Briefly, I will discuss about 1) my on-going project on deciphering photo- physical mechanisms of large spectral shift fluorescent proteins from blue fish, 2) several past projects on membrane proteins associated with bioenergetics in cells and 3) design and development sample-delivery devices for in situ and serial crystallography that could be implemented in any synchrotron radiation facility. The goal of my presentation is to promote a simpler approach for sample preparation and data-collection that could lower the entry barrier for novice users for X-ray crystallography at synchrotrons.
Presenter’s bio
Swagatha Ghosh is a structural biologist with keen interest in macromolecular biophysics of proteins using conventional and advanced X-ray crystallography and UV-VIS spectroscopy. She had completed her PhD in Bangalore, India and postdoctoral research in Gothenburg, Sweden. Using conventional- and serial- crystallography techniques, her research aims at deciphering structural mechanisms in proteins. She has co-founded a deep-tech startup in Sweden aiming to develop sample
delivery techniques for serial crystallography. She moved to Nagoya University (Japan) in August 2022, as Designated Assistant Professor to pursue her research on fluorescent proteins (FP). In addition to her research, she teaches experimental biophysics to undergrad students and is actively involved in building networking platforms for international researchers at Nagoya University.