Understanding how big enzymes coordinate their parts to work in bacteria and human cells
Official title: Atomic-level characterization of self-regulatory mechanisms in large multidomain enzymes
Funded at Iowa State University · NIH-11331995 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team will study how large enzymes change shape and move as they bind to helpers to control their activity, which could impact bacteria and human health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iowa State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ames, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2019 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $362,725 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM133488-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11331995 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not a patient-facing trial; foundational research on human-relevant enzymes.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or immediate clinical benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses advanced techniques to watch how big, multi-part enzymes change their internal dynamics when cofactors and substrates bind. By combining NMR with other biophysical methods, researchers aim to map how local disorder and concerted motions influence enzyme activity in high-molecular-weight systems. The work focuses on two enzyme families—EI from the bacterial phosphotransferase system and AlkB demethylases—to understand how their movements relate to function in metabolism relevant to both bacteria and humans. Results could reveal new ways to target these enzymes in disease or infection contexts. The study is conducted at Iowa State University with a team led by Vincenzo Venditti.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of enzyme regulation could inform new approaches to treating bacterial infections and diseases linked to metabolism.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that enzyme motion and local disorder are linked to activity, but extending this to large multidomain enzymes is still developing.
Where this research is happening
-
Iowa State University
Ames, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Venditti, Vincenzo — Iowa State University
- Study coordinator: Venditti, Vincenzo
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.