February 2024 - phenixbb - phenix-online.org

Research Specialist Position at the University of Illinois to Study Ribosome Structure | POLIKANOV Lab
by Yury Polikanov 21 Apr '25

21 Apr '25

*Research Specialist Position Available, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago - Polikanov Lab* *The Polikanov Laboratory in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago (IL, USA) is looking for a talented, skillful, and highly motivated researcher to fill the Research Specialist position to study the structure and function of the bacterial ribosome.* For fullest consideration, please submit an application and cover letter describing your scientific interests and how your previous research accomplishments and scientific interests fit with the scope of the research in the Polikanov research group at https://uic.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/7573?c=uic *Position Summary:* The research in the Polikanov Laboratory at UIC is focused on understanding the basic principles of protein synthesis in bacteria, the modes of action of ribosome-targeting antibiotics, and the mechanisms of drug resistance at a structural level. This position is involved in the determination of high-resolution structures of ribosome functional complexes with various protein translation factors, tRNAs, and antibiotics using macromolecular X-ray crystallography and potentially cryo-EM techniques. Expected contributes to the design and delivery of research projects and collaborates with researchers to develop, execute, and interpret research projects. Performs complex laboratory and data collection techniques. *Duties & Responsibilities:* - Perform research relevant to the assigned projects; - Isolate, purify, and crystallize bacterial ribosomes; - Purify all additional components necessary for the crystallization experiments, such as recombinant proteins, tRNAs; - Collect X-ray diffraction data from the ribosome crystals at the APS and NSLS-II Synchrotrons; - Perform structural data analysis; - Coordinate, analyze, and document results for publication; - Directly participate in writing papers and grants based on the experimental data; - Train undergraduate and graduate students in research methods, use of equipment, record keeping, and laboratory database entry; - Attend weekly group meetings and journal club seminars. - Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned. *Minimum Qualifications:* - A bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, or a related field is required. - A master’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, or a related field is preferred. - A minimum of 3 years related research experience. - Possesses and applies comprehensive knowledge of research principles, concepts, practices, and methods. - Proficient in standard molecular biology and biochemistry lab techniques, such as protein expression, and purification *Preferred Qualifications:* - Experience in structural biology (cryo-EM or X-ray crystallography); - Experience in RNA biology, ribosome, and/or protein synthesis fields. *About the University of Illinois Chicago:* UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has nearly 260,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago. *The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters <https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/one.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=5705> to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify. **The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation <https://jobs.uic.edu/request-and-accomodation/>*

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RapiData at SSRL 2024
by Smith, Clyde 09 Jan '25

09 Jan '25

Hi everyone, Applications are now open for the 2024 edition of RapiData at SSRL. RapiData is a practical course in macromolecular X-ray diffraction data collection, data processing and structure solution. The aim of the RapiData course is to educate and train young scientists in data collection and processing methods at synchrotron beamlines, using state-of-the-art software and instrumentation. The course will be held at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) located on the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory campus in Menlo Park, CA, from April 29 to May 4, 2024. The course will comprise hands-on experiments at the SSRL beamlines, software tutorials, and lectures on the following topics: Specimen preparation, Data collection strategies, X-ray light sources, X-ray detectors, Data reduction, Structure solution by MAD, SAD and Molecular Replacement, Complementary methods (spectroscopy and small angle scattering) Please visit http://smb.slac.stanford.edu/news/rapidata/rapidata-2024/ and use the links on the "Application and Registration" page to apply for the course. The application deadline is January 31, 2024. Successful applicants will be notified early in February 2024 and invited to register and book accommodation at SLAC Stanford Guesthouse at that time. A limited amount of support funding may be available. Please direct questions to Silvia Russi (srussi(a)slac.stanford.edu) or Clyde Smith (csmith(a)slac.stanford.edu).

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Ordered solvent in phenix.refine
by Oliver H. Weiergräber 11 Sep '24

11 Sep '24

Hello, after switching from version 1.20 to 1.21, I noticed that the updated list of waters generated by the ordered_solvent option in phenix.refine is no longer numbered sequentially; it seems a final re-numbering step is now skipped. Is this intentional? Of course it can be advantageous to keep waters from changing their numbers, e.g. if they are part of occupancy groups. On a related note, is there a mechanism to protect certain "important" waters from being deleted while all the rest is updated as usual? One obvious option would be a dedicated chain ID, but afaik phenix.refine accepts a chain ID for output but not for input waters ... Best regards, Oliver ================================================== Prof. Oliver H. Weiergräber Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry Forschungszentrum Jülich 52425 Jülich, Germany Tel.: +49 2461 61-2028 Fax: +49 2461 61-9540 ==================================================

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EMBO Workshop on Molecular Neurobiology, 13th to 17th May 2024, Crete
by Jonathan Elegheert 11 Mar '24

11 Mar '24

Dear all, I would like to bring to your attention the EMBO Workshop on Molecular Neurobiology (https://meetings.embo.org/event/24-mol-neurobiology), which will be held from 13th to 17th May 2024 on the beautiful Greek island of Crete, at the Fodele Beach resort (https://www.fodelebeach.gr/). This is a workshop covering the latest breakthroughs in structural biology, biophysics, imaging, and biological models in neurobiology. Given its cross-disciplinary nature, this EMBO workshop presents a broad overview of the field and an insight into the latest technologies and results. It provides a space for learning, for forging new collaborations, and for presenting ideas that will contribute to the future of molecular neurobiology. The workshop also presents an excellent opportunity for early-career scientists to present their work, with a large number of talks that will be selected from submitted abstracts. The workshop poster is attached to this mail, and more information, as well as the registration links, can be found on the following web page; https://meetings.embo.org/event/24-mol-neurobiology The abstract submission deadline is 6th of March. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly for any questions, and we hope to see many of you there! Best wishes, on behalf of the organising committee, Jonathan ----------------------------------------------------------------- Jonathan Elegheert, PhD Team Leader CNRS Scientist Interdisciplinary Institute for NeuroScience (IINS) <https://www.iins.u-bordeaux.fr/> UMR5297 CNRS / UB Centre Broca Nouvelle-Aquitaine 146 rue Léo Saignat BP 61292 33076 Bordeaux Cedex <https://goo.gl/maps/CFNm4dUvzrmmHUM1A> France T: +33 (0)5 33 51 48 57 E: jonathan.elegheert(a)u-bordeaux.fr W: https://www.iins.u-bordeaux.fr/ELEGHEERT Twitter: @ElegheertLab <https://twitter.com/ElegheertLab> -----------------------------------------------------------------

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Re: [phenixbb] Joint X-ray / neutron refinement
by Kristoffer Lundgren 24 Feb '24

24 Feb '24

Hello phenixbb, When trying to do joint refinement in phenix.refine 1.21-5207 using the suggested joint_xn.eff file found at https://phenix-online.org/documentation/reference/refinement.html#neutron-a… as a template I get some error messages (running phenix.refine from the command line): Unrecognized PHIL parameters: ----------------------------- xray.refinement.refine.strategy (file "joint_xn.eff", line 33) xray.refinement.main.simulated_annealing (file "joint_xn.eff", line 36) xray.refinement.main.ordered_solvent (file "joint_xn.eff", line 37) xray.refinement.main.number_of_macro_cycles (file "joint_xn.eff", line 38) neutron.refinement.refine.strategy (file "joint_xn.eff", line 45) neutron.refinement.main.simulated_annealing (file "joint_xn.eff", line 48) neutron.refinement.main.ordered_solvent (file "joint_xn.eff", line 49) neutron.refinement.main.number_of_macro_cycles (file "joint_xn.eff", line 50) Can you please advice on how to proceed? It looks like the options supplied are not recognized at all by phenix.refine. Best regards Kristoffer From: <phenixbb-bounces(a)phenix-online.org> on behalf of Derek Logan <derek.logan(a)biochemistry.lu.se> Date: Monday, 22 January 2024 at 09:39 To: "phenixbb(a)phenix-online.org" <phenixbb(a)phenix-online.org> Cc: Ulf Ryde <ulf.ryde(a)compchem.lu.se>, "esko.oksanen_ess.eu" <esko.oksanen(a)ess.eu> Subject: ***SPAM*** [phenixbb] Joint X-ray / neutron refinement Hi phenixbb, I'm trying to understand the current status of joint X-ray/neutron refinement in phenix.refine. The announcement of the latest release mentions a change in the algorithm as described in the recent publication. In the documentation: Structure refinement in PHENIX<https://phenix-online.org/documentation/reference/refinement.html#neutron-a…> phenix-online.org<https://phenix-online.org/documentation/reference/refinement.html#neutron-a…> [AURqZhI53yp3gAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==]<https://phenix-online.org/documentation/reference/refinement.html#neutron-a…> it's described how you can run joint refinement using a parameter file. Does this mean that it is *only* possible in this way and not through the GUI? The GUI was very useful in the past as it automatically opened Coot with the maps for both X-rays and neutrons, and the refinement statistics for both were displayed in the GUI. As far as I can see joint refinement via the GUI last worked in version 1.19.2-4148 from 2021. Best regards Derek

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Rotamer error in real space refinement
by Nikos Pinotsis 23 Feb '24

23 Feb '24

Hi, I am using real space refine with the latest phenix 1.21-5207 for fitting a model into a cryoEM map. During refiment one Trp goes clearly out of density (vertical to the density) although the map is very well defined at this part of the protein. I tried local_grid_search either for every cycle or last, however it didn't fix the problem. I know that this is reported a couple of years ago as fixed (dev-4218), I am wondering if something changed during the last version. Another solution I can think it to keep the side chain of this Trp fixed. How can I do that? thanks Nikos -- ________________________________________ Nikos Pinotsis Associate Professor Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

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Define bond between O3' of a nucleotide to P of 3DR HETATM ligand (abasic nucleotide)
by Mark Saper 23 Feb '24

23 Feb '24

I need to create a phosphodiester bond between O3’ of a DNA nucleotide and P of a 3DR HETATM ligand (a modified nucleotide). I also need to delete O3P of the 3DR nucleotide. How can I create this restraint? Also, how can I get COOT to display this bond? Thanks, Mark _____________________ Mark A. Saper, Ph.D. Dept of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine saper(a)umich.edu <mailto:[email protected]> | +972 52 815-0480

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Tenure track position in Protein Science for Pathogen Defense
by Cygler, Miroslaw 20 Feb '24

20 Feb '24

Dear Colleagues, I am excited to let you know that the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, is searching for an exceptional candidate in the area of Protein Science for Pathogen Defense, to fill a tenure-track Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 2 position. The CRC program is the flagship of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world's top countries in research and development. We are looking for an outstanding early career scientist to establish and lead a groundbreaking research program in protein science to understand the mechanisms of bacterial and viral infection in humans or animals, to investigate host-pathogen interactions, or to discover novel mechanisms of defense against known and potential future pathogens. Within this broad scope, specific areas of interest include synthetic antigen design, the molecular basis of immune response to pathogens, mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, and the prediction-guided design of artificial antibodies. We are interested in hiring a world-class expert in one or more of the following areas: (i) protein structure prediction and structural bioinformatics, (ii) protein design, and (iii) cryo-electron microscopy. A detailed advertisement with instruction how to apply is enclosed and can also be viewed here: <https://usask.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/14/home/requisition/12015?c=usask&…> Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 2 in Protein Science for Pathogen Defense<https://usask.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/14/home/requisition/12015?c=usask&…> protection.outlook.com<https://usask.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/14/home/requisition/12015?c=usask&…> [X]<https://usask.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/14/home/requisition/12015?c=usask&…> . Regards, Mirek ======================================================= Dr. Miroslaw Cygler, FCAHS Professor, Dept. Biochem, Microbiol & Immune, U. of Saskatchewan Canada Research Chair in Molecular Medicine Using Synchrotron Light Health Sciences Building 3D30.6 (Box 9) 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5 Canada Email: miroslaw.cygler(a)usask.ca<mailto:[email protected]> Website: http://research-groups.usask.ca/cyglerlab/ Phone: 306-966-4361, cell: 306-203-2317 =======================================================

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Structural Biology Workshop, June 10-12, 2024, Arlington, VA
by Meilleur, Flora 15 Feb '24

15 Feb '24

Dear All, We would like to bring to your attention the 2024 Neutrons in Structural Biology workshop. This workshop will highlight the need for next-generation instruments and toolsets for structural biology, with a focus on neutrons and other complementary techniques, and the development of integrated experimental and computational frameworks that connect them. Neutrons in Structural Biology - Challenges & Opportunities June 10-12th 2024 Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel, Arlington, VA. For details and registration see: Neutrons in Structural Biology - Challenges & Opportunities<https://conference.sns.gov/event/402/> The workshop will include a 1-day satellite training workshop (June 10, 2024) to educate graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the application of neutron techniques in structural biology. A limited numbers of travel awards are available to support graduate students and post-doctoral fellows attendance at the workshop. The travel award application deadline is April 12, 2024. Details here<https://conference.sns.gov/event/402/page/2891-travel-awards-deadline-april…>. Flora Meilleur on behalf of the organizing committee: Andrey Kovalevsky Flora Meilleur Dean Myles Hugh O'Neill Flora Meilleur, Ph.D. Neutron Scattering Scientist Neutron Sciences Directorate Oak Ridge National Laboratory Professor Molecular & Structural Biochemistry N C State University Editor, Journal of Applied Crystallography Office: 865-576-2779

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to leave atoms out of ADP restraints
by Jorge Iulek 13 Feb '24

13 Feb '24

Hi, all, The ADP restraints I refer to in this discussion are the ones that would make B-factors of nearby atoms to influence (or more or less resemble) each other. For some very disordered side chains, I would like to test "taking out" the "more disordered" atoms (maybe for high chi angle variability) of these restraints, for them to be more free to skyrocket, but also that they do not influence so much the main chain, in some cases where the flexibility difference between main and side chain seems to be significant. Is there a way to do so? Thanks, Jorge

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