Seminar – Biotechnology and Biosciences - Thursday, October 22, 2026, 4:30 PM, Building U3, Room 10.
Umberto Contaldo, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Proteines (BIP), CNRS, Marseille.
Abstract
Bacterial copper homeostasis relies on multicopper oxidases such as CueO, which oxidize toxic Cu+ to the less reactive Cu2+.1 CueO enzymes contain a flexible His/Met-rich insertion of debated function. We showed that it is dispensable under high copper availability but acts as a transient copper-binding platform when Cu+ is strongly chelated.2 Comparative analyses of CueO homologs revealed that larger insertions enhance activity under copper limitation.3 Electrochemical and biochemical studies quantified the interplay between chelation strength and turnover.4 We also identified a transient copper-binding site involved in enzyme metalation.5 Together, these sites tune copper trafficking.
References
1 Mazurenko, I., Adachi, T., Ezraty, B., Ilbert, M., Sowa, K., & Lojou, E. (2022). Current Opinion in Electrochemistry
2 Contaldo, U., Savant-Aira, D., Vergnes, A., Becam, J., Biaso, F., Ilbert, M., Aussel, L., Ezraty, B., Lojou, E., Mazurenko, I. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(42), e2402862121.
3 Contaldo, U., Santucci, P., Vergnes, A., Leone, P., Becam, J., Biaso, F., Ilbert, M., Ezraty, B., Lojou, E., Mazurenko, I. (2025). JACS Au, 5(4), 1833–1844.
4 Saska, V., Santucci, P., de Poulpiquet, A., Gasparutto, D., Contaldo, U., Mazurenko, I., & Lojou, E. (2025). Bioelectrochemistry, 166, 109051.
5 Santucci, P., Biaso, F., Becam, J., Dubard, L., Ilbert, M., Ezraty, B., Mazurenko, I., Lojou, E., Contaldo, U. (2026). Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 278
Host: Arrigoni, Fasano
The seminar is OPEN to all.
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