Markus Alahuhta - Postdoc
Markus Alahuhta received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Protein X-ray Crystallography from the University of Oulu, Department of Biochemistry, Finland. Under the leadership of Professor Rik Wierenga in the Structural Enzymology Group, Dr. Alahuhta studied the monomeric variants of triosephosphate isomerase in the context of a structure-based protein engineering project aimed at changing the substrate specificity. This project included solving multiple structures of different engineered variants, planning of mutations, and sub-angstrom resolution X-ray diffraction studies of the proton-transfer mechanisms of triosephosphate isomerase.
Dr. Alahuhta joined NREL in August 2008 in the group of Dr. Mike Himmel. His main interest lies in solving structures of cellulose degrading and binding enzymes together with Dr. Vladimir Lunin to better understand their function and how they could be improved through structure-based engineering.
Selected Publications
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Casteleijn, M.G., Alahuhta, M., Groebel, K., El Sayed, I., Augustyns, K., Lambeir, A.M., Neubauer, P., and Wierenga, R.K. "Functional Role of the Conserved Active Site Proline of Triosephosphate Isomerase," Biochemistry 45, 15483-15494, 2006.
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Alahuhta, M., Casteleijn, M.G., Neubauer, P., and Wierenga, R.K. "Structural studies show that the A178L mutation in the C-terminal hinge of the catalytic loop-6 of triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) induces a closed-like conformation in dimeric and monomeric TIM," Acta Cryst. D64, 178-188, 2008.
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Alahuhta, M., Salin, M., Casteleijn, M.G., Kemmer, K., El Sayed, I., Augustyns, K., Neubauer, P., and Wierenga, R.K. "Structure-based protein engineering efforts with an inactive monomeric TIM variant: the importance of a single point mutation for generating a competent active site," Prot. Eng. Des. Sel. 21, 257-266, 2008.
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Alahuhta, M., Wierenga, R.K. "Atomic resolution crystallography of a complex of triosephosphate isomerase with its transition state analogue: new insight in the proton transfer reaction mechanism," 2009. PNAS, Manuscript in preparation.
Other Team Members
Markus Alahuhta |
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