The role of HemQ in the heme biosynthesis of monoderm bacteria was recently reported (Dailey et al. 2015, PNAS, 112, 2210). Very little is known about the mode of action of this enzyme class.
In this master thesis novel HemQs from pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes) will be heterologously expressed in E. coli and purified. A broad set of biochemical & biophysical methods (UV-vis, stopped-flow, CD, EPR spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, X-ray crystallography) will be used for characterizing wild-type and mutant HemQs.

The work will be conducted in the Protein Biochemistry Group of Christian Obinger at the Department of Chemistry.