Reimagining how we study biomolecules
Publications
Below, you will find a list of recent publications including a brief description for each study. For a full list, you can visit our Google scholar profile or click on "View All Publications".
Direct observation of the molecular mechanism underlying protein polymerization
Hundt N, Cole D, Hantke MF, Miller JJ, Struwe WB, Kukura P
One of the most challenging studies this group has ever completed. What started out as a simple idea required years of improvement in instrumentation, completely new approaches to data analysis and the development of a new model to understand how actin polymerises. We think a first in terms of demonstrating what can be done with MP in the context of highly heterogeneous mixtures.
5 Sept 2022
Characterising biomolecular interactions and dynamics with mass photometry
Asor R, Kukura P
We review recent advances in our ability to characterise biomolecular structure, interactions and associated dynamics by mass photometry (MP), the label-free detection and mass measurement of individual biomolecules in solution. Molecular counting and identification provides direct access to relative abundance, and thereby affinities, while associated dynamics yield on- and off-rates. The molecular resolution afforded by MP enables these measurements as a function of stoichiometry and assembly at equilibrium, as opposed to the majority of existing solution-based methods. Together with future improvements in terms of assays and technological performance, MP is likely to provide mechanistic details of complex biomolecular processes.
7 Apr 2022
Single molecule mass photometry reveals the dynamic oligomerization of human and plant peroxiredoxins
Liebthal M, Kushwah MS, Kukura P, Dietz KJ
A collaboration that started on the blackboard after a talk in Bielefeld, involved a number of visits by Michael to Oxford and resulted in a great example how mass photometry can help with understanding polydispersity of proteins, and how that polydispersity relates to function.
12 Oct 2021
Micromirror total internal reflection microscopy for high-performance single particle tracking at interfaces
Meng X, Sonn-Segev A, Schumacher A, Cole D, Young G, Thorpe S, Style RW, Dufresne ER, Kukura P.
It's not all about interferometric scattering. Darkfield, especially with super-optimised micromirrors is really, really awesome. If you are tracking metal nanoparticles, we think this is the way to go. And maybe even for molecules...
7 Oct 2021
Custom design of protein particles as multifunctional biomaterials
Shanbhag BK, Liu C, Pradeep GC, Younas T, Hu KKY, Fulcher AJ, Struwe WB, Steer D, Dumsday G, Harper IS, Kukura P, Haritos VS, He L.
Wonderful work by the He group on designing protein nanoparticles to which we could contribute with mass photometry-based characterisation of protein oligomerisation.
5 Oct 2021
Mass photometry enables label-free tracking and mass measurement of single proteins on lipid bilayers.
Foley EDB, Kushwah MSK, Young G, Kukura P
Mass photometry unchained from microscope cover glass. Detection, imaging, tracking and mass measurement of membrane-associated complexes. In our opinion, the beginning of a new era for MP.
4 Oct 2021
Scattering-based light microscopy: from metal nanoparticles to single proteins.
Priest L, Peters JS, Kukura P.
Jack and Lee really, really went all the way in terms of trying to provide an overview of scattering-based light microscopy on the nanoscale. Apologies to those we missed, but hopefully a good starting point for people getting going in this exciting field.
29 Sept 2021
Assembly principles of the human R2TP chaperone complex reveal the presence of R2T and R2P complexes
Seraphim TS, Nardin N, Cheung YWS, Aluksanasuwan S, Colleti C, Mao YQ, Bhandari V, Young G, Hoell L, Phanse S, Gordiyenko Y, Southworth DR, Robinson CV, Thongboonkerd V, Gava LM, Borges J, Babu M, Barbosa LRS, Ramos CHI, Kukura P, Houry WA
Yet another collaboration that started with "let's just have a look" where we could contribute to understanding the role of protein oligomerisation in R2TP with mass photometry.
29 Aug 2021
McsB forms a gated kinase chamber to mark aberrant bacterial proteins for degradation
Hajdusits B, Suskiewicz MJ, Hundt N, Meinhart A, Kurzbauer R, Leodolter J, Kukura P, Clausen T.
Started with a 5 minute chat after listening to Tim's amazing talk at the Klosters Winterseminar, and turned into an amazing story. Huge amount of work by the Clausen lab, with us contributing olgiomerisation dynamics - and surprises - at low concentration.
29 Jul 2021
The linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC) generates heterotypic ubiquitin chains
Carvajal AR, Grishkovskaya I, Gomez DC, Vogel A, Sonn-Segev A, Kushwah MS, Schodl K, Deszcz L, Orban-Nemeth Z, Sakamoto S, Mechtler K, Kukura P, Clausen T, Haselbach D, Ikeda F.
Another collaboration with IMP Vienna on proteasomal degradation mechanisms where we used mass photometry to help determine the stoichiometry and oligomerisation of LUBAC.
17 Jun 2021