Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology OIST

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News & Highlights

Jan 28th: Congrats to Lili and Yusran to dig into the role of fusion in evolution in our latest perspective just accepted in protein Science!
Dec 20th: Congrats to Amy who was awarded the poster award at the 1st international SynBYSS Conference!
Nov 12th: Congrats to Ben who was selected as the winner of the excellent presentation award at the JSME2024!
Sept 11th: Congrats to Ben who published in Nature!!! We characterized almost all soluble binding protein in SAR11.

Archive of News & Highlights

Research Overview

Our research applies chemical approaches and protein engineering to study and manipulate protein functions. We are interested in exploring the evolution of cofactors/substrates and their binding proteins, and generating artificial enzymes. We would like to apply synthetic biology tools for triggering cellular responses and studying metabolic pathways, and to explore challenging chemical transformations.

If you are interested in exciting research at the interface between biochemistry, molecular biology, organic chemistry and bioinformatics please contact us (paola.laurino@oist.jp).

We are looking for a Postdoc fellow to join the lab, if interested pls contact paola.laurino@oist.jp

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Recent Podcasts

Peter Gruss and Paola Laurino

Unravelling enzymes with Prof. Paola Laurino

This episode, Lucy speaks to Prof. Paola Laurino about her research looking at the structure, function, and evolution of enzymes, a group of proteins that facilitates vital chemical reactions for living organisms.

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Job Openings

Technician in Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit

Posted on 29 February 2024

Research unit

Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit

Job type

Applications deadline will continue until the position is filled.

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Unit News

Artist impression of the transport proteins of SAR11 bacteria.

Research Update

How the oceans’ most abundant bacteria impact global nutrient flows

A new Nature paper has revealed how key bacterial proteins contribute to global carbon, sulfur and other nutrient cycles.

Rendering of chemotaxis in synthetic droplets

Research Update

Synthetic droplets cause a stir in the primordial soup

A synthetic droplet may give researchers clues on how simplest forms of life on the planet could navigate their surroundings.

Coenzyme Switch: Researchers Recreate the Way Nature Changes Coenzyme Binding on Rossmann Enzymes

Research Update

Coenzyme Switch: Researchers Recreate the Way Nature Changes Coenzyme Binding on Rossmann Enzymes

Using insertions and deletions, researchers switch the coenzyme binding of a protein providing the first evidence of a link between distinct chemistries.

OIST Podcast Episode 25

Research Update

Podcast: Unravelling enzymes

The recipient of this year’s Excellence in Mentoring Award, Professor Paola Laurino, leads a group that investigates the structure, function and evolution of proteins called enzymes, which are vital parts of all life.

Research Update

Tiny droplets offer glimpse of real life inside a living cell

By mixing a polymer with protein, researchers create membraneless droplets that can mimic the molecular properties of how molecules move in the cell.

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Conferences & Workshops

Library Design for Protein Engineering 2023

Library Design for Protein Engineering 2023

The aim of this symposium is to equip PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in the field of protein engineering with a broad knowledge of computational tools and experimental techniques available for library design and creation.

Organizers:

Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit

06 November 2023 - 09 November 2023

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Research Specialties

Biochemistry

Biophysics

Chemistry

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