Alexander McPherson
Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
School of Biological Sciences
Phone: (949) 824-1931
Email: amcphers@uci.edu
phase.bio.uci.edu/mcpweb/
http://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=3340
Alexander McPherson
Dr. Meysken’s research is divided among a number of areas focused ultimately on the determination and description of biological structure, principally at the molecular level, but extending to the organelle and cellular as well. The primary techniques employed are X-ray crystallography, atomic force microscopy, quasi elastic light scatting and optical interferometry. In support of the application of these biophysical methods they employ a wide range of conventional biochemical, as well as molecular biological techniques. Of chief interest in terms of molecular structure are intact immunoglobulins, whose dynamics they hope to reveal through a series of static, X-ray derived images, and small spherical viruses for which we are attempting to define the molecular structures and mechanisms involved in assembly. To promote their research in structure determination, a major interest is in the growth of macromolecular crystals. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and QELS they are attempting to elucidate the phase transition phenomenon leading to nucleation, and the mechanisms, kinetic factors, and thermodynamic parameters fundamental to the crystal growth process. Among the diverse approaches utilized, is crystallization of macromolecules in microgravity, including missions aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. These experiments allow, in many instances, improvements in the quality of crystals used in their analyses and hence, the precision of the molecular structures derived form those crystals. Most recently they have undertaken investigations of living cells, animal viruses, and virus infected cells using AFM. These have included herpes simplex virus, and several retroviruses including mouse leukemia virus and human immunodeficiency virus.
Selected Publications:
McPherson, A., and Cudney, B. (2006). Searching for silver bullets: an alternative strategy for crystallizing macromolecules. J Struct Biol 156(3), 387-406.
Kuznetsov, Y. G., Ulbrich, P., Haubova, S., Ruml, T., and McPherson, A. (2007). Atomic force microscopy investigation of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reassembled particles. Virology 360(2), 434-46.
Larson, S. B., Day, J. S., Cudney, R., and McPherson, A. (2007). A novel strategy for the crystallization of proteins: X-ray diffraction validation. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr 63(Pt 3), 310-8.
Low, A., Datta, S., Kuznetsov, Y., Jahid, S., Kothari, N., McPherson, A., and Fan, H. (2007). Mutation in the glycosylated gag protein of murine leukemia virus results in reduced in vivo infectivity and a novel defect in viral budding or release. J Virol 81(8), 3685-92.
Makino, D. L., Henschen-Edman, A. H., Larson, S. B., and McPherson, A. (2007). Bence Jones KWR protein structures determined by X-ray crystallography. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr 63(Pt 7), 780-92. |
