Office Address
312 Church St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
United States
Douglas Ohlendorf
Professor
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics
My lab is interested in the structural foundations for biological function. Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, we believe a structure is worth a thousand pictures. Hypotheses suggested by the structures are tested through mutagenesis followed by biophysical characterization of mutants.
Research statement
My lab is interested in the structural foundations for biological function. Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, we believe a structure is worth a thousand pictures. Hypotheses suggested by the structures are tested through mutagenesis followed by biophysical characterization of mutants.
We study a diverse range of proteins. One group are metalloenzymes involved in degrading organic compounds in the environment. Here we look at metal ion and substrate selectivity, structural changes during the catalytic process, targeting substrate sites for chemical attack. A second group of proteins are virulence factors in gram positive pathogens. These molecules function through interactions with other macromolecules. Through these studies novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies can be developed.
Education
Ph.D., Washington University, 1978