Fabrizio Bertolazzi Email & Phone Number

Philadelphia, Pa, Us

Filadelfia, Pennsylvania, Stati Uniti D'America

Padua, Veneto, Italia

London, Regno Unito

Bologna, Emilia Romagna, Italia

Bologna, Italy

Internship duration: 225 hoursField of the bachelor thesis project: Plant Molecular Physiology and Proteomics Experimental thesis title: "Structural and functional characterization of the phosphoribulokinase of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutated by deletion of the Clamp-loop structural domain".Abstract: Phosphoribulokinase (PRK) catalyses the ATP-dependent phosphorilation of ribulose-5-phosphate (Ru5P) to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP). In that way it has a central role in the regeneration of the substrate used by RuBiSCO, the key enzyme of the Calvin-Benson cyle.The 3D structure of the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii's PRK has been recently resolved using X-ray cristallography. The structural analysis of the photosynthetic enzyme, together with phylogenetic analyses, has allowed the individuation of a structural domain named Clamp-loop as a possible key element in the thioredoxin-dependent regulation of the enzyme.To verify this hypothesis the mid-point redox potential of the recombinant protein lacking the Clamp-loop structure has been determined. The value obtained points to a negligible involvement of this structure in the redox regulation, contrary to the original hypothesis. On the other hand the Clamp-loop seems to participate in the initial recognition phase between the target enzyme and thioredoxins. Circular Dichroism analyses (CD) performed on the wild-type and mutated proteins have shown a limited amount of changes in the secondary structures of both enzyme in response to the redox environment. However the removal of the Clamp-loop determined a significant decrease in alpha-helix content. This reorganization of the secondary structure could be responsible for the changes observed in the kinetic parameters of the mutated protein as compared with its wild-type counterpart, suggesting an involvement of the Clamp-loop in the binding of the ATP substrate and in the subsequent catalysis process.

Bologna, Italy

Execution of administrative tasks at the Student Administration Office for the Medical Area (Via Massarenti 9 - Padiglione Murri - Bologna (BO) segmed@unibo.it) of the University of Bologna in the context of the part-time collaboration project "150 ore". | Overall duration of the activity: 150 hours.

Bologna, Italy

Partecipation in the training internship at the "Scienze in pratica" ("Science in practice") laboratories | Topics: Bacterial Transformation, GFP purification, DNA Fingerprinting

Mirandola (Mo), Italy

Volunteering service carried out through the I.S.S. Galileo Galilei High School's partecipation in the "Tutti in Rete" ("Everyone online") project to teach seniors citizens how to use new technological devices (PCs, smartphones,...)

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Cellular And Molecular Biology

Joint Wistar Institute - Unibo PhD program in Cellular and Molecular Biology.

Master'S Degree In Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (English Language Course), Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, 110/110 Con Lode

Bachelor Degree In Biotechnology, Biotechnology, 110 Cum Laude/110