Dr Mark Ellis

m.j.ellis@dl.ac.uk
(44) 1925 603590
(44) 1925 603748

My main area of interest is metalloproteins. By employing synchrotron radiation techniques to investigate the structure of the protein it affords us a greater understanding of the proteins function and catalytic pathways. I am currently looking at expressing and purifying over 40 targets from the TB genome for the North West Structural Genomics Centre. Once purified I will be conducting protein crystallisations and data collection/processing on approximately 20 of these targets. I am also working on crystallographic studies of Nitrite Reductase & Azurin I from Alcaligenes xylosoxidans as well as another blue copper protein, Rusticyanin from Thiobacillus ferroxidans. I am also looking at complex formation between Nitrite Reductase & Azurin and Nitrite Reductase & Cytochrome C’. I also maintain the web pages of the Molecular Biophysics Group  and the North West Structural Genomics Centre.

• Ellis MJ, Dodd, FE, Sawers, S, Eady, RR, Hasnain, SS
  Atomic Resolution Structures of Native Copper Nitrite Reductase from

  Alcaligenes xylosoxidans and the Active Site Mutant Asp92Glu.

  Journal of Molecular Biology  (2003) 328, (2), 429-438

• Nicholas A. Barnes, Alan K. Brisdon, Mark J. Ellis, and Robin G. Pritchar. 
  Recent advances in the chemistry of Fluorovinyl-containing compounds.
  Journal of Fluorine Chemistry (2001) 112, 35-45

• Mark J. Ellis, Fraser E. Dodd, Richard W. Strange, Miguel Prudêncio, Gary Sawers, Robert R. Eady and S. Samar Hasnain. 
  X-ray structure of a blue copper nitrite reductase at high pH and in copper free form at 1.9Å resolution.
  Acta Crystallographica (2001) D57, 1110-1118.

• Mark J Ellis, Miguel Prudencio, Fraser E. Dodd, Richard W. Strange, Gary Sawers, Robert R. Eady and S. Samar Hasnain.
  Biochemical and Crystallographic Studies of the Met144Ala, Asp92Asn and His254Phe Mutants of the Nitrite Reductase from Alcaligenes xylosoxidans Provide Insight into the Enzyme Mechanism.
  Journal of Molecular Biology (2002) 316, (1), 51-64

• Mark J. Ellis, Svetlana Antonyuk and S. Samar Hasnain.
  Resolution improvement from 'in-situ annealing' of copper nitrite reductase crystals.
  Acta Crystallographica (2002) D58, 456-458

1OE1 - Native NiR 1.04Å, 

1OE3 - recombinant NiR 1.15Å, 

1OE2 - D92E NiR 1.12Å

M144A NiR Mutant 1GS6

H254F NiR Mutant 1GS7

D92N NiR Mutant 1GS8