Biomolecules

Research activities are focused on the directed evolution of enzymes using technologies such as phage display or in vitro compartmentalisation. We are developing innovative in vitro strategies for selecting enzymes endowed with new properties within large libraries of mutants.

The various projects aim at interconverting phylogenetically related enzymes, creating artificial allosteric regulation sites, engineering  protein reactivity and changing substrate specificity.

Besides the biochemistry and molecular biology, these projects generally require the synthesis of small organic compounds such as substrates, inhibitors or selection markers.

These research activities aim at unraveling specific molecular mechanisms of DNA transposition and site specific-recombination that mediate specialised DNA rearrangements in bacteria.

In particular, we study the assembly, function and regulation of the transposition and recombination machineries expressed by the Tn4430 transposon from Bacillus thuringiensis.

Structural data are extremely important for understanding the function of biomolecules at a molecular level.We elucidate three-dimensional structures of biomolecules such as enzymatic anti-oxidants or evolved enzymes by X-ray crystallography.

LC-MS and GC-MS are invaluable tools for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of biomolecules. We are developing such analysis especially in complex matrix like fruits and plants extracts or biological fluids.

We are studying the nanoscale properties of biosystems - from single molecules to living cells - with the aim to gain insight into the molecular bases of biological events such as protein adsorption, drug-membrane interactions and cell adhesion.

Research activities also involve the design of biomimetic surfaces and of nanobiostructures through controlled assembly or self-assembly.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are the essential characterization techniques.

Using specific synthetic routes, biomolecules are combined with artificial species to create a supramolecular architecture able to perform functions upon external stimulation (irradiation, redox, temperature…).

Depending on the nature of the building blocks (A, B and connector), different bio-devices are targeted, with potential applications in renewable energy sources, drug delivery systems or smart materials.