Michael Kokkinidis

Biography

Michael Kokkinidis Group Leader Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH) Nikolaou Plastira 100 GR-70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece My laboratory uses macromolecular crystallography and other structural biology techniques in the study of biological processes. We have published approx. 100 research papers and coordinated several transnational research projects. Structural studies of DNA binding proteins, e.g. restriction endonucleases (R. Pvu II), mammalian (DNMT1, DNMT3) and bacterial (Bse CI) DNA methyltransferases and of RNA-binding proteins (Rop) have been performed. Applications resulting from this work include the engineering of "programmable" endonucleases and novel DNA specificities for gene therapy and endonucleases which are controllable by light. Gram negative bacteria deploy various secretion systems for exporting proteins to eukaryotic hosts. We study the Type III secretion systems (T3SS) which are directly related to pathogenicity and essential mediators of the interactions between bacteria and eukaryotes . We have determined the first crystal structure of a conserved core T3SS protein (HrcQ B) and performed the first characterization by SAXS of an intrinsically disordered, highly interactive protein (HrpO). Numerous studies of TTSS protein complexes are in progress. We have made fundamental contributions to protein folding/stability with a focus on helical bundle proteins and applications resulting in the development of innovative, bio-inspired materials. Other crystallographic projects target bacterial resistance to antibiotics, deacetylases, etc.

Research Interest

General Fields of Research • Protein Crystallography & development of crystallography methods • Protein Folding • Protein Engineering & development of novel biomaterials • Protein-DNA interactions & development of gene therapy tools • Mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity • Enzymatic mechanisms Research Publications Total Number of Original Articles in Peer-reviewed Journals Approx. 100 Total Number of Non-Self Citations