Wouter Versantvoort Email and Phone Number

Through a combination of a wide array of biochemical and biophysical techniques I aim to elucidate the role and molecular mechanism of various multiheme proteins of the anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacterium Kuenenia stuttgartiensis. These bacteria play an important role in the global nitrogen cycle, by removing ammonia and toxic nitrite from the environment and converting it to dinitrogen gas. Furthermore, they are succesfully applied in sustainable waste-water treatment plants worldwide. Anammox bacteria rely heavily on multiheme proteins for their metabolism, in which hydrazine is a unique free intermediate. In this project I aim to anaerobically purify several heme proteins directly from anammox bacteria and elucidate their molecular mechanism. Key techniques: Anaerobic protein purification from Native organism. UV-Vis, EPR & FTIR spectroscopy, anaerobic enzyme assays,Gas chromatography & Membrane inlet mass spectrometry, Bioreactor cultivation, Polymerosomes. https://www.ru.nl/microbiology/department/people/wouter-versantvoort/

Continuation of my PhD project

During my PhD I focus on the bioenergetics and enzymology of unique volcanic and anaerobic methanotrophs with a special interest in proteins involved in nitrogen cycling. I am studying the membrane protein complexes through the use of metagenomics and complexome profiling experiments. Furthermore, I work on the isolation and characterization of specific proteins through the use of column chromatography, mass spectrometry, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and EPR spectroscopy. Through these studies I contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms by which these organisms drive global carbon and nitrogen cycling.

During this internship I focused on the search of a putative Quinone reducing protein from the Candidatus Kuenenia Stuttgariensis bacteria. I'm responsible for developing activity assays to determine the presence of this protein and to later develop a protocol to purify this protein from the bacteria.

Verantwoordelijk voor het geven van de werkcolleges voor wiskunde 1,2 en 3. Daarnaast het nakijken en beoordelen van de wekelijkse toetsen en eens in de 3 weken surveilleren bij deze toets

During this internship my goal was to purify and characterise a small cytochrome c protein from the Candidatus Kuenenia Stuttgartiensis bacteria. Eventually I developed a protocol to purify this protein.

During this internship I focused on the effect of antioxidants on substrate oxidation in HEK293 cells. Through the use of respirometry experiments the effects of different substrates and antioxidants were investigated. Furthermore, fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize internal ATP levels and the formation of reactive oxygen species